


re:make

by chaosmyths



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Daniel can resurrect the dead, Friends to Lovers, Jaehwan as Daniel's ex but there's literally nothing romantic about them in this, M/M, Magical Realism, Mutual Pining, way more introspection than is reasonable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-01-05 18:20:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 26,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12195201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosmyths/pseuds/chaosmyths
Summary: Having to deal with your crush’s ex coming back to town is one thing.No one ever warned Seongwoo that your crush caring about his ex enough to literally bring him back from the dead was another possibility he might have to contend with.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I uhh, I struggled with this fic a lot you guys not the least because Ong’s POV and also my own inexperience writing romance. In fact I actually dumped this fic on multiple occasions but somehow my beta’s motivation and my own fear of failure means I got it finished. At the very least.
> 
> Which speaking of my lovely gorgeous beta from another fandom dragged her ass over to Wanna One hell to edit this for me - though to be honest she did so much for this fic she probably deserves co-writing credits? But basically grammatically this should be so much better than Jonghyun’s Eleven I’m sure everyone’s glad to know.
> 
> My goal here was mostly to write a fic that Daniel bless his dumb face was actually in and not miserable in (except this ended up angstier than I intended because like it felt disingenuous to leave out the emotional toll it’d take on someone)(And then it ended up this long because I cannot be concise to save my life)(but Daniel’s still not in this as much as I’d like)

It's an unbearably bright and sunny morning, and Seongwoo is running late for work.

Which probably isn’t the end of the world, not when his quasi-boss is pretty much entirely responsible for his current predicament.

After all Daniel was the one who insisted on going out last night. And Daniel was the one who then insisted on coming over to Seongwoo’s place afterwards for a nightcap that turned into two or three or seven. And Seongwoo’s memory of last night might be hazy at best but he’s sure Daniel was the one to fall asleep on the couch first. Seongwoo knows that because he would never willingly fall asleep in the east-facing living room, which suffers from a woeful lack of decent blinds, if he could possibly avoid it.

Seongwoo is running late for work and is slightly hungover.

He’s got a pounding headache and a touch of nausea and feels like he needs to longest shower of his life to ever be clean again, last night's rumpled t-shirt clinging uncomfortably to his skin. The thought of going to work is enough to make his already queasy stomach turn.

Not that he hasn’t gone to work hungover before. Sure, a gym isn’t the ideal workplace to hide a hangover but he’s managed. Daniel has a higher alcohol tolerance than him but he also drunk more than him last night so he’ll feel as least as rotten as Seongwoo does. He hopes. It's the very least he deserves after making Seongwoo dig around in the back of the liquor cabinet for the ‘good stuff’ despite the fact Daniel will happily drink beer that tastes like piss if it’s all that’s on hand.

Seongwoo is running late for work, slightly hungover and the apartment is quiet.

The apartment is never quiet, not when Daniel has spent the night. Daniel who is always talking and laughing, to himself, in his sleep to and at anyone within a 12-foot radius of him. It’s never quiet because Minhyun can’t stand the silence, always has to have music on or a television playing, noise to fill the silence when he comes home from a day of work that’s emotionally draining. Seongwoo privately thinks he’d welcome the respite of silence if he were in Minhyun’s shoes, but that might just make the nagging voices of self-doubt and regret all the louder, so maybe not.

Eventually, with a self-pitying sigh he manages to drag his aching body off the couch (he’s not sure why he slept on the couch - he thinks it might have been because Daniel fell asleep on him but drunk logic isn’t something he’s going to ruminate on). The house is as empty as he expected, no sign of Daniel having ever been there.

Minhyun is also absent but Seongwoo expected that, his roommate has work today like he does every day. The life of a police officer is not one that Seongwoo envies, not anymore.

Daniel on the other hand is impossible to motivate to move in the morning, doubly so when he’s been drinking.

Not that Seongwoo particularly cares what Daniel is doing with his life this Thursday morning, he tells himself as he casts a bleary eye around the room as though looking for clues of Daniel’s whereabouts. It’s just uncommon for him to be awake before Seongwoo after a session like last night’s.

He’d managed to glance at his phone when he first woke up, hoping the fact the brightness of the screen hadn’t felt like pins in his eyes was a sign his hangover wasn’t going to be a bad one. That look had told him he had half an hour to get his ass to work. An impossible task on the best of days.

Instead he takes his time, watches some news to see what kind of shit show Minhyun has gone out to protect today as he scrolls social media. He staggers to the shower, standing under the hot water for longer than Minhyun would ever let him and still feels grottier than a functional person ever should.

Once he’s dressed (again, as falling asleep in his jeans probably contributed to him feeling less than human when he woke up) he decides his stomach can’t handle food at the present time, and instead goes to grab a water bottle from the fridge before finally heading off.

There is a note pinned to the fridge from Minhyun. Of course Minhyun’s left a hand written note instead of sending a text because that’s Minhyun’s ridiculous habit he insists on keeping (Seongwoo wonders if Minhyun handwrites case notes for Sungwoon and how much Sungwoon must hate it if he does).

_Seongwoo,_  
_Sorry for stealing your boy but crime never sleeps._  
_Looks like you made some progress though ;) tell me all about it tonight._  
_Remember to eat before work, you’ll thank me_  
_\- Minhyun._

Seongwoo rolls his eyes and crumples the note, how Minhyun manages to swing between smug teasing, an overbearing mother and a romance obsessed teenager all in one Post it note he’ll never understand. A natural gift, of which Minhyun seems to possess in abundance.

He does grab a granola bar out of the cupboard and shoves it in his bag at Minhyun’s request. He might not feel like eating but he’ll at least take something with him.

And then he’s out the door, dark glasses pushed firmly up the bridge of his nose to mitigate the glare of the unrelenting sun.

It’s 9:17 by the time he pushes the gym’s door open, exactly 47 minutes after he was due to start.

He’s expecting a light reprimand from Daniel for coming into work late out of a sense of obligation more than any real irritation. At the very least Jisung is sure to make some sort of snarky comment.

That’s not what he gets.

“Tell Daniel bringing his ex back from the dead would be weird and probably immoral,” Jisung blurts the second Seongwoo walks into the gym’s back office.

“Daniel please don’t try bringing your ex back from the dead,” Seongwoo says absently as he clocks himself in. He’s waiting for Daniel’s ever present laugh. It doesn’t come.

It takes his addled brain a few seconds for the words to properly process. He thinks back to Minhyun’s note earlier today, he’d taken Daniel to help him with a case. Fuck.

“Daniel,” He says, slowly turning around, “Please tell me you didn’t?”

There’s an extended silence, Seongwoo’s imagination starts to go wild. Not that his imagination has many gaps to fill - Jisung’s already told him in plain words what Daniel’s gone and done.

Daniel grins sheepishly at him, and before he opens his mouth Seongwoo knows the answer.

“Oops?” Daniel shrugs.

Then comes the laughter.

* * *

 

The first time that Minhyun had told him Daniel could raise the dead Seongwoo had laughed in his face.

Seongwoo had been working at the gym for about six months before Minhyun had ever come to see him at work (to this day Seongwoo’s still not entirely sure why Minhyun had chosen to come down at all).

Two months into his employment the owner had left for America to get married, leaving his cousin Daniel in charge. Seongwoo likes Daniel well enough; he’s well meaning if a little bit clueless when it comes to managing a gym. In fact, Seongwoo would say that Jisung does 80% of the administrative duties that keep the gym running.

Daniel thrives in the attached dance studio though, and in the period of a few months it goes from being used by a couple of local teachers and trainees looking for extra time in the studio into a thriving and popular workshop. Daniel himself teaches lessons and he hires Park Woojin to run lessons as well.

Profits increase by 30% purely from the fees from the dance lessons.

“It’s not even that he has good business sense,” Jisung tells Seongwoo with a sigh one afternoon as they stand behind the front desk and watch a high school girl try and flirt with Daniel, “He just has the luck to seem to draw people to him naturally, and it just sort of snowballs from there. Mystery if I know how he pulls it off, though”, he adds flashing a sickly-sweet smile at Daniel who’s managed to retreat behind the counter, much to the girl’s chagrin.

Daniel himself is far more interesting though, as Seongwoo comes to learn.

Seongwoo’s intrigued.

And apparently so is Minhyun. The first time he drops into the gym he makes a beeline for Seongwoo.

“What are you doing here?” Seongwoo asks him suspiciously as Minhyun hops onto the front desk, just sitting there as if he owns the place.

“Can’t I come and visit you at work?” Minhyun asks him with an innocent look that can mean nothing good.

“No,” Seongwoo says shortly, looking at him suspiciously.

“Oi, Seongwoo,” Jisung calls across the gym, head sticking out of the office, “I don’t know who your friend is but tell him this is a place of work and he’s not allowed to sit on the desk.”

“You heard the man,” Seongwoo tells Minhyun with raised eyebrows.

Minhyun gets off the desk but of course to be difficult he ends up on the same side as Seongwoo, “So is that him then?”

“Is that who?” Seongwoo asks distractedly.

“Seongwoo, employees only behind the desk,” Jisung calls again though he doesn’t sound particularly annoyed.

“Aww, Jisung lighten up,” Daniel appears beside him, swinging an arm over Jisung’s shoulder, “It’s nice to see Seongwoo has friends.”

Seongwoo sticks his tongue out at Daniel and turns back to Minhyun ready to interrogate him about what he’s talking about. Instead he notices that Minhyun is looking at Daniel with an odd look on his face.

“So that’s Daniel,” Minhyun says eyes narrowed.

“Yeah,” Seongwoo says slowly. He doesn’t know how Minhyun knows who Daniel is; he doesn’t talk about him at home at all really. No more than once or twice surely.

“Interesting,” Minhyun says that peculiar look still painted on his face.

“Do you know him?” Seongwoo asks Minhyun in confusion.

“No, but I soon will,” Minhyun says cryptically. Seongwoo has no idea what that could possibly mean but he chooses to ignore it because Minhyun can be really odd sometimes (Minhyun calls it his detective instincts).

He manages to ignore it pretty well for a while, though he doesn’t miss the way Minhyun keeps showing up at the gym when he’s never showed any interest in Seongwoo’s work previously.

Not that Seongwoo thinks for a second that he’s the one that Minhyun is coming to visit. Not with the way he keeps watching Daniel. And apparently approaching him at some point when Seongwoo isn’t at work. That’s the only way that he can make sense of Minhyun showing up one day and striding up to Daniel. They talk quietly for a few seconds before they both leave, Daniel throwing a cheeky, “I’ll be back in an hour Seongwoo, try not burn the place down when I’m gone,” at Seongwoo as he goes. 

Like _Seongwoo_ is the one most at risk of accidentally causing an explosion.

Daniel offers no explanation as to where he went when he comes back, looking slightly shaken. He brushes off Jisung and Seongwoo’s concern and locks himself in one of the dance studios for the rest of the afternoon with no hint of an explanation.

It would be an exaggeration to say it becomes a regular occurrence after that but it’s not uncommon for Minhyun to come in and steal Daniel for an hour or two. As time passes Daniel grows less affected as he returns. As time passes Seongwoo grows more curious.

That’s when he first asks Minhyun where he and Daniel always run off to. And Minhyun looks him straight in the eye and says, “To the morgue. Daniel can raise the dead so I get him to help me talk to murder victims.”

The first time that Minhyun told him Daniel could raise the dead Seongwoo had laughed in his face.

The second time he rolled his eyes, the third and fourth barely raised a smile. He tries not to be annoyed that Minhyun is joking about this, he knows he's too sensitive after all.

The fifth time Minhyun tells Seongwoo that Daniel can raise the dead Seongwoo snaps at him “The joke’s getting old Minhyun, if you’re dating him just tell me.”

Minhyun looks at him at that, really looks at him and shakes his head, “Please Seongwoo, I wouldn’t do that to you. I mean I have no romantic interest in Daniel the giant man child but even if I did I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“Do what to me?” Seongwoo asks, genuinely puzzled.

Minhyun shakes his head again, with an over-exaggerated disappointed face, though there’s a sense of real hurt behind it. Like he thinks Seongwoo is particularly stupid, “Never mind.”

Seongwoo stops asking after that but his curiosity is piqued, Minhyun has planted a seed in his mind.

He’s not stupid, it takes him a couple of hours but he does get what Minhyun is implying. That he likes Daniel; wants to date Daniel.

He gets what Minhyun is implying and it doesn’t bother him. He doesn’t think Minhyun is correct, but he could like worse people than Daniel.

He doesn’t think Minhyun is correct but he starts to pay more attention to Daniel just to test Minhyun’s theory. 

He doesn’t notice anything new; things remain the way they’ve always been. Daniel remains the same in the way he laughs at pretty much everything Seongwoo says. In the way he’s always got a smile and a kind word for anyone that walks through the door of the gym. In the way he’s a giant dork but Seongwoo is endeared more than annoyed.

It takes him a few weeks but it takes him less emotional agony than he thought to admit that maybe Minhyun has a point. Maybe he has a crush on Daniel.

It changes nothing. Nothing at all.

Except the mystery of where Daniel goes with Minhyun bothers Seongwoo more than it did; more than it should. It bothers him to the point he has to do something.

So four months ago Seongwoo had persuaded Jisung to cover the front desk for him when Minhyun and Daniel had gone off on one of their trips and followed them.

And to his surprise he’d found himself at the morgue, not a place he ever wanted to step foot in. Yet his curiosity had won out, he’d managed to sneak in (the security on that place should probably be tighter) and follow them.

He followed behind them, waiting for them to go through a door before he pushed it open a crack just in time to see Daniel touch a finger to a bloody corpse. Seongwoo barely had time to wonder why Daniel would want to be touching a dead body before the corpse sits up, the clearly visible stab wound in its abdomen gone right in front of Seongwoo’s eyes.

Seongwoo had staggered forward in shock. Surely they must have known he’d followed them and were playing a joke. That didn’t explain the disappearing stab wound. That didn’t explain anything.

“What the fuck?” He’d blurted out in shock. Daniel had touched the dead (undead?) body again, causing it to drop to the table before he’d turned to Seongwoo, face a mask of wide-eyed panic.

Minhyun’s expression could only be described as smug whilst Daniel looked terrified and anxious, both expressions wholly unnatural on his face.

“I can explain,” Daniel had blurted eyes wide and scared, though Seongwoo had no idea what could be scaring him.

“Oh,” Seongwoo had said, feeling less surprised than he’d thought he would. He was probably in shock, he thought the enormity of the situation would come crashing in later (it never did), “so you’re not dating?”

Daniel had laughed and Minhyun had shaken his head and then they’d taken him out to lunch to explain.

Four months ago Seongwoo realised two things. Daniel could raise the dead and Seongwoo was head over heels in love with him.

Not a whole lot had changed since then.

* * *

 

Seongwoo doesn’t know how he manages to get through his work day between the hangover and the bomb that Daniel drops on him, but he does. He’s not sure he could remember anything that happened that day, but he survives it.

When he finally gets home from work Minhyun is already home.

He can tell because he can hear the classical music blasting from the hallway. One day their neighbours are going to complain (if they haven’t already - Seongwoo’s pretty sure the landlord is scared of Minhyun’s badge).

“Minhyun, you home?” Seongwoo calls out as he lets himself in, even though the answer is obvious. It’s not like a burglar would choose to listen to Minhyun’s favourite cleaning music.

“Yeah, in the kitchen,” Minhyun’s voice floats back from his direction. He’s also confirmed to Seongwoo that he’s the only person in the house.

Good, because Seongwoo has a bone to pick with Minhyun.

“Did you really let Daniel fucking reincarnate his ex?” he asks as soon as he sets foot in the kitchen.

“Yes,” Minhyun answers simply from where he’s standing at the stove, his back to Seongwoo. Like it’s no big deal, an everyday occurrence or something.

“How?” Seongwoo asks, wondering how Minhyun could have possibly let Daniel get away with it as he hoists himself onto the kitchen counter next to Minhyun. Surely that goes against some sort of Police Code of Conduct or something.

“Are you sitting on the kitchen counter in your gym clothes?” Minhyun asks, raising the spatula in his hand threateningly.

“I showered at work,” Seongwoo tells him. He’s not actually a fan of doing so, he knows how rarely those things are cleaned, but after a client had managed to soak the bottom of his pants in energy drink he didn’t really have much of a choice.

Minhyun narrows his eyes suspiciously, looking over Seongwoo’s body before he nods in acceptance. And then turns back to his cooking.

“How did you let Daniel reincarnate his ex, presumably permanently?” Seongwoo asks Minhyun clearly, so he can’t get away with misunderstanding his meaning or continuing to ignore him.

“What makes you think it was permanent?” Minhyun asks him curiously.

“Because Daniel wouldn’t have told Jisung if it was temporary, and because Daniel is Daniel,” Seongwoo explains, swinging his legs. Daniel is one of the kindest people he knows, there’s no way he’d be able to reincarnate someone he once cared about only to essentially kill them again.

Seongwoo thinks that how it works - Minhyun doesn’t let him have much to do with the whole reincarnated murder victim thing (not that it’s a thing he wants to be involved in).                              

“Okay, Daniel reincarnated his ex. He’s a grown ass adult and I couldn’t have stopped him,” Minhyun says, his back stiffening. There’s clearly more to the story. Seongwoo wants to push but he’ll wait till Minhyun’s let his guard down.

“How did you get an extra person out the morgue without anyone noticing anyway?” Seongwoo asks. These questions are occurring to him now the general shock of the whole afternoon is wearing off, “And come to think of it how come they didn’t notice they were missing a body?”

“You don’t want to know the answer to that,” Minhyun says as he wipes his hands on the tea towel tucked into the back pocket of his jeans, “Really, there are some things you’re better off not knowing.”

“Of course, because making it sound all mysterious like that isn’t going to pique my interest at all,” Seongwoo says sarcastically. Minhyun retaliates by wiping the last remnants of water off his hands using Seongwoo’s pants.

Seongwoo kicks out at him, “Please tell me he wasn’t your murder victim at the very least.”

“No, he wasn’t our murder victim,” Minhyun turns the stove off and leans against the counter. Seongwoo takes that as a sign he’d failed in whatever he’d cooked.

Annoyingly enough, Minhyun isn’t terribly forthcoming with the details, even as Seongwoo waits him out.

“Sooo, what’s he like?” Seongwoo blurts once the silence drags. He’s curious, about what kind of person Daniel’s ex is. Of why they broke up, of why he cared enough to bring him back from the dead.

“I don’t know,” Minhyun shrugs, entirely unconcerned about the jealousy and curiosity warring inside Seongwoo.

“Seriously? Come on?” Seongwoo says, kicking his heels against the cupboard door petulantly, just to annoy Minhyun “You’ve got to give me more than that.”

“Honestly he was mostly in shock over the fact he was dead and then wasn’t, Seongwoo.” Minhyun tells him with a long suffering look, “I didn’t exactly get a chance to discuss his life story with him, there were other concerns at the time.”

“Fine,” Seongwoo mutters staring down at his lap. This isn’t about him obviously, and he doesn’t want to make it about him.

That’s just taking more of an effort than he’d thought.

“Besides,” Minhyun says playfully, touching Seongwoo’s knee, “I’m not sure you have much to worry about, I saw you two this morning.”

“We passed out drunk on the couch,” Seongwoo replies dryly, seizing the distraction. He needs time to think about this, approach it in a mature way, “I’m not sure that means anything.”

“I don’t know, you both looked pretty content,” Minhyun says, sly smile on his face, “Very comfortable tangled together.”

“His shoulders are wider than the couch, there aren’t any other options,” Seongwoo says not wanting Minhyun’s teasing to mean anything. Not with how things apparently are now.

“You could have slept in your bed and left him on the couch,” Minhyun says, tapping his fingers on Seongwoo’s knee now.

Seongwoo pushes his hands away, “Minhyun,”

“I thought you were making progress,” Minhyun says encouragingly. He’s a hopeless romantic under his snark and mothering, it’s not hard to notice, “You’re basically together. I mean I don’t know how else you’d put up with his sleep talking? I think he was talking about interpretative dance choreography right in your ear when I woke him up this morning, which took fifteen minutes by the way, dude did not want to let you go.”

“Yeah, so did I but things have changed, haven’t they?” Seongwoo says trying to sound like he’s stating a fact and not bitter. He’s not sure it works, “Maybe I just need to jump in front of a car to attract his attention.”

It’s a joke, they both know that, but Minhyun cuffs him round the back of the head anyway, still sensitive about it after all this time “Don’t you dare.”

“Okay, falling off a building is probably easier anyway,” he shrugs carelessly. He has no desire to shuffle off this mortal coil prematurely and Minhyun is well aware of that but, perhaps petulantly, he wants to have the last word on that subject.

Minhyun sighs and rolls his eyes. “What are you feeling like for dinner?”

“I thought that’s what this was,” Seongwoo laughs, gesturing to the mess of pots and pans on the stove, whatever Minhyun had been trying to cook is completely unidentifiable.                                       

“Plan’s changed,” Minhyun says as if the reason isn’t he fucked up whatever he was cooking, “So, pizza or chicken?”

* * *

 

As far as Seongwoo is aware there are three people on this planet who know about Daniel’s ability (aside from Daniel of course). Himself, Jisung and Minhyun.

Four now, he supposes as he sits opposite one Kim Jaehwan. Daniel’s ex-boyfriend. A man who had been clinically dead 48 hours ago.

Seongwoo’s known about Daniel’s unique ability for a few months now, but he’s never been faced with evidence of it; half the time he manages to convince himself that he’d imagined the entire outlandish situation. Except it’s not really evidence at all, Seongwoo would never know Jaehwan had been dead.

“So,” Seongwoo says from his place on the floor, as the five of them sit around Daniel’s living room, “I’ve never met a zombie before.”

Jaehwan blinks at him once before he starts laughing. Not just laughing, straight up cackling, it’s one of the weirdest laughs Seongwoo has ever heard in his life.

The way Jaehwan laughs with his whole body reminds him of Daniel as well, though Daniel’s laugh itself is cuter, less homicidal.

“Seongwoo, he’s hardly a zombie,” Minhyun says, slapping Seongwoo gently on the shoulder.

“Do you feel the need to eat brains?” Jisung asks Jaehwan, hovering at his side like the concerned mum friend he is. It makes sense, Seongwoo supposes, Jisung has known Daniel since they were kids so there’s a good chance he had known Jaehwan as well.

“Yeah, because if you do I’m not sure you’ll find many around here,” Seongwoo says, defaulting to humour because what else is he supposed to do when faced with the ex-boyfriend of the guy he’s in love with, raised from the dead?

“I don’t think I want to eat brains,” Jaehwan says with a frown, like he’s seriously considering the question, “I’m not sure I really feel the need to eat anything?” he looks deeply concerned at that.

“See, not a zombie,” Jisung tells Seongwoo with a little nod, like that settles the topic.

“Technically a zombie is just a reanimated human corpse,” Seongwoo tells him with as much authority as he can fake, “So he qualifies.”

“That’s kind of lame, can’t I be a vampire instead?” Jaehwan asks before he launches into that ungodly cackle again.

Jisung laughs as well and even Minhyun hides a smile but Daniel, the king of finding the smallest things ridiculously hilarious stays quiet. In fact, past initial introductions he’s barely said a word. Instead he’s latched his hand onto Seongwoo’s knee and pulled himself tight into Seongwoo’s side.

If Seongwoo had to guess he’d say Daniel is trying to make himself as small as possible so that there’s no chance he could touch Jaehwan by accident despite the fact he’s on the other side of the room. 

That’s the way it works apparently. One touch will bring the dead back, but a second touch will kill them. Permanently. 

“No offence but you seem like you’d make a terrible vampire,” Seongwoo tells him.

“I don’t know, he’s got the blood sucker thing down pat,” Jisung says thoughtfully, “Please let me know if you start craving blood, or brains or human flesh.”

“Duly noted,” Jaehwan nods though he looks like he thinks the entire thing is a joke (one that he’s probably going to run into the ground). 

“How does this whole thing even work?” Minhyun asks, leaning forward like he’s found a new mystery to solve. Hopefully he has and will leave Seongwoo’s personal life alone in the process, “Like the reincarnation thing?” 

Jaehwan shrugs, “Fucked if I know. I was dead and then I woke up in the morgue with Daniel standing over me freaking out, and then,” he’s cut off by Jisung covering his mouth with his hand. 

“We don’t need to know the details,” Jisung says pointedly looking at Daniel and Seongwoo. Probably Daniel though he’s currently latched onto Seongwoo so tightly that they might as well be one person. Seongwoo can’t say that he minds the comforting warmth pressed at his side, although he can’t help but wish the contact had been initiated under a different set of circumstances. Daniel feels tense against him, and Seongwoo finds himself unconsciously rubbing small circles with his thumb against Daniel’s hand. 

Jaehwan grumbles something through Jisung’s hand before Jisung shrieks and wipes his hand on Jaehwan’s back, “Don’t lick me. That’s disgusting.”                               

Jaehwan smiles innocently before he addresses Minhyun, “The point is I have no idea how this works, I kind of can’t actually believe any of this is happening? To be honest, I’m not convinced I didn’t just pass out drunk somewhere and this is a whole elaborate prank on Daniel’s behalf,” Something about his words is entirely unconvincing but Seongwoo lets it go. 

“But do you still have to eat? Do your cells still function? Are you still ageing or is Daniel the only thing that can kill you? Or can you be murdered but not die of natural causes,” Minhyun’s satori is coming out as it only does when he gets really excited about something.

“It’s only been a couple of days Minhyun I’m not sure he knows the answer to that,” Seongwoo points out dryly.

“Well, do you know the answers?” Minhyun addresses Daniel for the first time in the conversation.

“I don’t really make a habit of permanently reincarnating dead people for obvious reasons,” Daniel says, looking up at Minhyun, “You know I didn’t really make a habit of using my ability at all before.”

He doesn’t say before _what_ but Seongwoo thinks he has an idea.

“Not even once? Surely you must have because,” Minhyun says before trailing off lamely, “You must have?”

“Once,” Daniel admits awkwardly. He’s not even looking at Jaehwan Seongwoo realises, he’s sneaking glances at him out of the corner of his eye like a school girl with a crush, “But they didn’t really…know that they’d died so I think they just kept eating?” he’s so uncertain it sounds like a question. Seongwoo tightens his arm in reassurance.

“I did really badly in science in school but if your cells stopped functioning he wouldn’t be breathing right? And he’s clearly breathing,” Jisung says looking at Jaehwan with an appraising little squint.

“Maybe he’s breathing out of habit?” Minhyun suggests thoughtfully.

“Stop breathing and see if you drop dead,” Seongwoo suggests as brightly as he can, ignoring the look Minhyun shoots him. The man needs to learn how to take a joke.

Jaehwan starts that cackling laughter again before the three of them launch into a debate on the scientific logic of bringing someone back from the dead. As if it’s not a completely ridiculous, nonsensical thing. 

Seongwoo uses the distraction to ask Daniel quietly, “Are you okay?” concerned by the fact he’s really not contributing to the conversation in any way. Even at his most exhausted Daniel can always be counted on to laugh inappropriately at the very least.

“Fine,” Daniel answers automatically. 

Seongwoo forces Daniel to meet his eye before raising an eyebrow in disbelief. Daniel shrugs, “It’s weird, is all.”

“Weird how?” Seongwoo asks. Of course this whole thing is weird to him but he’s not the one that was born with the power. Surely Daniel would be used to it by now. 

“Just weird. Having Jaehwan back in my life,” Daniel explains, glancing at Jaehwan out the corner of his eye but this time meeting his eye. They hold eye contact for a few seconds before Daniel looks away, biting his lip.

Seongwoo’s stomach doesn’t sink at that because he’s a mature adult. He’s fine and he’s not at all jealous. And if the corners of his eyes suddenly feel like they’re burning, well it must just be the dust in the room, nothing more.

“I’m happy for you,” Seongwoo tells him which isn’t even a lie (much).

“Yeah,” Daniel says managing to make the single word sound loaded. Seongwoo is going to question him about it, he really is but before he gets the chance Minhyun steals Daniel’s attention back with a question about the likelihood of historical accounts of reincarnation turning out to be have been true all along (which is ridiculous because he’s sure Daniel’s never thought about it much before).

Seongwoo mostly listens to the rest of the conversation, having nothing but snarky comments to offer when it comes to science.

By the time he and Minhyun leave for the night Daniel has loosened up slightly and Seongwoo has quickly come to realise Jaehwan is an immensely easy person to like (it’s hard not to like someone who takes Seongwoo chasing them around the house like a zombie in good humour).

So, that’s a development.

 

 

* * *

 

Once, a few weeks after Seongwoo had found out about Daniel’s ‘ability’ for lack of a better word, he’d asked Daniel if he would bring Seongwoo back to life if he died. 

It was mostly playful, they were both not entirely sober and exhausted from a long day running a school holiday children’s program at the studio.

Seongwoo can remember Daniel’s response though. How the smile had dropped off his face, how he’d stared at his hands.

“I don’t know,” He’d admitted refusing to look at Seongwoo, “I don’t know if I could bring myself to do it.”

Seongwoo had shrugged it off at the time, made some bad joke he didn’t even remember now just to see Daniel smile again. He’d written it off at the time.

Maybe Daniel was joking. Or had rules against bringing people back to life permanently. Maybe he felt like it was unfair to revive someone that he knew or was close to.

Now though, he has proof otherwise. Living breathing proof in the form of one Kim Jaehwan. 

Maybe Seongwoo just has to admit to himself that Daniel just doesn’t care about him as much as he thought.

 

 

* * *

 

 

For the first couple of weeks after Daniel brings Jaehwan back to life he seems off. Not entirely himself but not troubled enough that Seongwoo feels like it’s his place to say anything.

Instead he decides to watch Daniel (which contrary to what Minhyun says is not something he’s particularly in the habit of doing).

Seongwoo watches and makes observations. Notices as Daniel’s favourite ripped jeans get replaced with new jeans with not a hole in sight, while his shirt sleeves get longer even as the weather gets warmer. 

He notices that whilst Daniel still laughs more than is considered socially acceptable he’s less physical about it, keeping his hands to himself for the most part, when he remembers to. 

Minor things, things that other people probably don’t notice. 

That’s probably not true. Jisung must notice because he starts exchanging worried looks with Seongwoo without having reached the stage where they awkwardly _talk_ about it yet. 

Seongwoo’s not sure what there would be to talk about - not sure that there’s anything he can do to help. Not sure Daniel would appreciate him bringing up whatever he’s trying to pretend is fine. 

So he decides to do what he always does. He jokes with Daniel, makes a fool out of himself to drag the laughter out of him. Reaches out physically to Daniel when he notices Daniel pulling in on himself. 

It’s clearly not enough but Seongwoo likes to think it’s helping. The grateful looks he gets from Jisung must mean something.

But then one morning things start to get better.

Seongwoo comes into work at an unreasonable hour of the day - so early he wouldn’t even consider it morning - to open the gym. Opening has never been his responsibility because he hates getting out of bed but Daniel had sent him a text the night before asking to swap shifts and Seongwoo had allowed himself to be convinced.

The gym is dark as it usually is, but it doesn’t take Seongwoo long to notice that a light has been left on in one of the dance studios. Muttering to himself with a shake of his head, Woojin must have left it on last night, he pushes the door open so he can turn it off (the gym opens at 5am for those early birds that get in before work - the dance studios don’t open till 8 when Woojin comes in). 

Except the light hasn’t been left on by accident. Instead he finds Minhyun and Daniel sitting side by side, backs against the mirror fast asleep. 

Seongwoo doesn’t even question it anymore, he knows the two of them get up to some weird stuff when left unattended - raising the dead to solve crimes is probably the most normal bonding activity they do. 

He takes a second to snap a picture before he squats down next to Minhyun and shakes him awake. Thankfully Minhyun is pretty easy to wake, “Hey,” he says when Minhyun opens his eyes and squints at him. 

“Why does it feel like I slept in a cave or something?” Minhyun asks Seongwoo, rubbing at his eyes. 

“Maybe because you slept sitting on the floor with Daniel leaning against you?” Seongwoo points out trying not to laugh, “It’s a miracle that his big head didn’t crush you.” 

“It’s not flirty teasing when he’s not awake to hear you,” Minhyun says with a smile. Even first thing in the morning he has it out for Seongwoo. 

“I should have let you sleep,” Seongwoo scoffs, getting to his feet and stretching the kink out of his neck. 

“You should have,” Minhyun agrees, closing his eyes again.

Seongwoo could leave him to that then, let him suffer since Minhyun essentially asked him to. Seongwoo is nothing if not a kind and helpful roommate though, so he doesn’t, “You promised Sungwoon if you were late for a shift again then you’d bring him coffee from that overpriced hipster artisanal place for the next two months,” Seongwoo reminds him cheerfully.

Minhyun’s eyes fly open again, “What time is it?” 

“Uhh, 4:30,” Seongwoo says glancing down at his watch, “So you better hope Sungwoon is also running late,”

“Damn it,” Minhyun swears (or as close as Minhyun generally gets), gently pushing Daniel off him before he gets to his feet and rushes out the door with not even a word of thanks to Seongwoo for saving his ass.

Typical.

Seongwoo stands and watches Daniel for a couple of seconds trying to decide if he should wake him or not. Surely sleeping on the floor is going to hurt him when he wakes up but if he’s (presumably) done it for the most of the night then a couple more hours probably won’t hurt. Besides he looks peaceful for once. 

So Seongwoo turns the light off in the studio, shuts the door behind him and gets started on opening the gym and then his own work. He gets so absorbed in what he’s doing that he forgets about Daniel sleeping in the studio until he comes stumbling through looking worse for wear about 7:30. 

Luckily it’s the time of morning the gym is quiet, the before work crowd having left for the day but too early for anyone else to have wandered in. 

“You’re a mess, at least go have a shower and change,” Seongwoo tells him as he staggers out of the studio and behind the reception desk. 

Daniel mumbles something unintelligible and drops his head onto the desk in front of him. 

“Sorry, what’s that? I don’t speak caveman,” Seongwoo tells him trying not to laugh. Daniel really does look like a mess, his eyes barely open and his hair sticking up every which way. Seongwoo doesn’t find it cute per se but it is completely endearing. 

Daniel repeats his sentence, hardly clearer than the first time but Seongwoo thinks he gets the gist. 

“You’ll scare the customers away looking like this,” Seongwoo scolds, unable to stop himself running his fingers through the knots in Daniel’s hair trying to smooth it down, “You’re kind of exactly the opposite image of how we’re trying to brand ourselves.” 

“Fuck off.” 

“See, I almost understood that one,” Seongwoo tells him encouragingly, trying not to laugh. 

The way Daniel glares at him, nose scrunched in annoyance and all reminds him of a disgruntled kitten. He doesn’t tell Daniel that though, takes pity on him and manages to coax him into going home to shower and change (and maybe bring Seongwoo breakfast on his way back - he does owe him after all). 

That is something of a turning point though. Seongwoo doesn’t know what Minhyun said to Daniel, if anything - perhaps it was something of a well-timed coincidence, but Daniel stops watching himself so carefully. 

It’s also around this point that Jaehwan starts coming around more. 

Seongwoo doesn’t even know why he comes because Jaehwan tells him more than once, “Gyms are the devil’s torture chamber,” but sure enough once or twice a week he pops up to sit behind the desk with Seongwoo or in the office with Jisung. Once he sits in on a dance lesson with Woojin and Daniel but swears black and blue to never make that mistake again (much to Daniel’s amusement). 

Maybe he just likes being around people that know about the whole reincarnation thing, Seongwoo decides. He gets used to it, the way things are now. It feels like Jaehwan’s always been around, a part of their lives for longer than a month. He becomes one of Seongwoo’s closest friends with relative ease. 

Which is why he tries not to think about how it feels like his relationship with Daniel has regressed. There have been lots of things for everyone to process, of course it’s not Jaehwan’s fault. Of course he doesn’t want to change the decision Daniel made. 

But that one drunken conversation from all those months ago weighs on his mind, daily. Seongwoo feels like a terrible person. 

It’s fine though. It will be fine as long as he acts like it’s fine. Laughs louder, makes his jokes dumber, puts his body on his line for cheap gags. Shoves his feelings down until he doesn’t feel the hurt and the anger and the bitter regret of what almost was. 

Things will go back to normal. Surely. 

As normal as raising the dead can ever be.

 

* * *

 

Even though it’s a pretty big part of his job, Seongwoo hates working the gym’s front desk. It’s tedious and repetitive and static, all things he particularly hates.

Seongwoo wasn’t even scheduled to work the front desk today yet that is where he finds himself when early afternoon hits. 

It’s Daniel’s fault, as it always is. Apparently Woojin had called in sick and Daniel was the only one who could possibly take over his classes for the day, which meant there was no one to man the front desk. 

Seongwoo’s attempts to stay strong and refuse had lasted for all of five seconds before Daniel’s pouting had made him cave.

“Hi,” Daniel says a couple of hours after Seongwoo had taken the hell post, draping himself over his back and causing him to start. 

“Get off me, you’re sweaty,” Seongwoo tells him though he makes no move to actually push Daniel off, the weight on his back is nice. 

“You work at a gym you should expect to get sweaty,” Daniel says, resting his head on Seongwoo’s shoulder and looking over his shoulder. 

“I’m working,” Seongwoo tells him haughtily. 

Daniel laughs, shaking Seongwoo’s back in the process, “I can literally see your screen. You’re playing Atari Breakout with,” he leans closer to peer at the screen, close enough that their cheeks are basically pressed together, “Grapefruit,” 

Seongwoo is so used to Daniel being in his personal space it doesn’t affect him (much). Instead he just pushes him back, though Daniel’s arms remain stubbornly locked around Seongwoo’s shoulders. 

“Most of my work is in the office and since I had to cover front desk duty for _someone_ , there’s nothing else I can do.” He says, pausing his game. He’s two levels tops away from beating Jisung’s high score, he’s not going to let Daniel distract him. 

“You don’t mean that,” Daniel all but whines in his ear, “If you’re mad at anyone be mad at Woojin.” 

“What kind of heartless monster do you think I am?” Seongwoo asks, pushing Daniel off him properly so he can turn and face him, “That you think I’d be mad at someone for being sick.” 

Daniel grins brightly, “Do you really want me to answer that?” 

Seongwoo is working on a hilariously witty reply to that but before he gets the chance to formulate it someone clears their throat, “Excuse me?” 

Seongwoo and Daniel exchange a look, “You’re scheduled on front desk duty,” Seongwoo tells him, turning back to his game. 

Daniel whines but goes to talk to the client.

“Hi, how can I help?” Seongwoo can hear the fake customer service smile in his voice.

“Hi I was…” The guy says before trailing off, “Wait a second, I know you.” 

“Do you?” Daniel says. Something about the way he says that, just two words, seems off but Seongwoo dismisses it. Daniel can be weird sometimes. 

“I do, you’re the one that always comes in with Minhyun to see the dead bodies,” the yet-unnamed person says, voice louder than is considered socially acceptable when talking about dead bodies. 

Seongwoo pauses the game and glances out of the side of his eye to find a blonde-haired boy bouncing on the balls of his feet, “Right, you’re Daehwi, the coroner’s assistant,” Daniel says, the panicked tension evident in his posture. 

“That’s right,” the boy beams as if happy to be remembered. Daniel has that effect on people. 

“How can I help?” Daniel repeats, clearly hoping that Daehwi lets it go. 

He doesn’t, instead he leans over the desk with a conspiratorial look at Seongwoo. Seongwoo pretends to be absorbed in his work, “I know what you are.”

He’s still got to be too loud though if Seongwoo can hear him. 

Daniel’s default reaction in awkward situations is to laugh, so that’s exactly what he does. Seongwoo’s pretty sure his nervous laughter isn’t always quite so hysterical, “What do you mean?” He asks. Even Daehwi can surely hear the anxiety in his voice.

“I know why you always come in,” Daehwi says, even quieter, looking around before he adds, “It’s because you’re psychic, isn’t it?” 

Daniel’s laughter that time is more relieved (what does it say about Seongwoo he can tell Daniel’s emotional state from his laughter - a question to examine at a later date. Or never).

“Well,” he says, still laughing, “I really can’t say.”

“No but you are, it’s the only thing that makes sense,” Daehwi interjects, words tumbling from his mouth, “Minhyun sneaks you in to see the body and then usually not long after that he gets the big break and solves it…” he continues to speak but his voice grows so quiet that Seongwoo can’t hear.

“The only thing that makes sense?” Daniel repeats still laughing. Seongwoo tries not to roll his eyes. 

“I promise I won’t tell,” Daehwi says earnestly, “But, since I’m here maybe you can help me?” 

Seongwoo takes this as his opportunity to interject, “Ah, I see you’ve figured it out,” He says, slinging an arm around Daniel’s shoulders as he physically interjects himself in their conversation, “But it’s not that easy.” 

“What’s not that easy?” Daehwi asks him looking suspicious. 

“Well you think that Daniel here can just use his powers to help anyone who asks? Do you think he’s that easy?” Seongwoo asks, using his acting days to interject as much scorn into his voice as possible.

“No, of course not.” Daehwi says slowly as Daniel has to hide his face into Seongwoo’s shoulder he’s laughing so hard. 

“Firstly, you have to prove your worthiness,” Seongwoo says trying to keep a straight face. Usually he’s a master at it, but it’s harder than usual with Daniel shaking with laughter in his side. 

“Sure, sure, what do I have to do?” Daehwi asks eagerly. 

Daniel finally stops laughing and straightens up, the mischievous grin he’s sporting probably mirrored on Seongwoo’s face, “Well,” Daniel says, “We’ll start off easy…”

 

* * *

 

 

Seongwoo likes Jaehwan, he really does and it’s an important point in his whole feelings about this reincarnation situation (that he tries his best _not_ to think about too hard like ever).

Still there’s something about the whole situation that he can’t get past.

He’s glad Daniel resurrected Jaehwan, not so glad he cared enough about his ex to bring him back. 

Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so much of an issue if that were all it was, but it’s not. 

Daniel doesn’t act any different around Seongwoo, still as clingy and giggly as ever but things have changed, so slightly it took him weeks to notice. 

Before where they used to spend a considerably amount of time outside of work together now it’s less, and when it is there’s always Jaehwan or Minhyun or Jisung around. 

There’s no way he’s ever going to say anything about it to Daniel though, no way he’s going to admit to anyone how petty he’s being. 

He does need to say something to get it off his chest, he learned his lesson about bottling things up a long time ago. Which leaves Minhyun to deal with his ‘whining insecurities’ (in Minhyun’s own words - Seongwoo would prefer to call it hyperbole). 

“How am I supposed to compete with someone he likes enough to literally bring them back from the dead?” He whines one evening as the two of them are sitting in their apartment, watching some variety show after a half hour argument over which movie to watch. It’s another hot and sticky evening, with the promise of a thunderstorm in the air, and Seongwoo feels jittery, unsettled. For the thirtieth time he tries to find a comfortable position on the couch, and he huffs in annoyance at his lack of success in the endeavour. 

“Well, sex with you has a lower chance of you ending up dead, so there’s that,” Minhyun suggests drolly. Seongwoo tries not to laugh because that would ruin the pitiful whining thing he has going right now. 

“Sex isn’t necessary for a relationship,” Seongwoo has to point out to Minhyun. 

“No, but there is no way on this planet Kang Daniel would be able to date someone he couldn’t have _any_ physical contact with.” Minhyun probably has a point there.

“Fine, whatever, emotionally though.” Seongwoo says kicking his legs out in front of him just to be moving. 

“Look, Seongwoo, I literally walked in on the two of you making out on the couch not that long ago. You really have nothing to worry about,” Minhyun says in a way that’s reassuring whilst still managing to let Seongwoo know that Minhyun is slightly annoyed. 

“We were drunk it hardly counts,” Seongwoo says petulantly. At the time it had felt like it meant something but that was also just before everything changed so, Seongwoo doesn’t know anymore. 

That’s his problem. He’s unsure and things have changed and he doesn’t want to deal with it, so he pretends to deal with it when he’s really only scratching the surface of the issue. 

If he talks about it in a shallow way often enough Minhyun will be so annoyed with the topic that he won’t probe. It’s Seongwoo’s go to strategy and it’s working for him so far. 

“I think you’ll find it does count,” Minhyun tells him with a sigh.

“Daniel hugs everyone when he’s drunk,” Seongwoo protests. It’s the truth and he’s starting to think maybe it extends further than that. 

“Hugging and making out are very much _not_ the same thing,” Minhyun glares at him. Seongwoo can see he’s so very close to fed up. He just needs to push a little further and Minhyun will surely let the issue go for a few weeks.

Vaguely in the background he can hear the sound of the apartment door opening. There’s only one other person that knows the door code.

“I’m just saying alcohol makes you do things you might not otherwise,” Seongwoo says smoothly. 

Minhyun’s glare somehow manages to get even more annoyed. Before he gets the chance to retort though Sungwoon makes his presence known. 

“Sungwoon, does sex count if you’re drunk?” Seongwoo asks as soon as he enters the room ignoring Minhyun muttering of ‘is making out sex now’.

The way that Sungwoon looks at Seongwoo over the top of his glasses makes him feel like an idiot. Also a criminal. 

“Seongwoo, it doesn’t matter how drunk you are it’s never an excuse,” Sungwoon starts to say before Seongwoo realises how badly that probably came across.

“No, wait I mean like emotionally? Does it emotionally count,” Seongwoo rushes to correct himself, cringing at how frantic his words seems, “Obviously the act still counts and you still need consent that’s not what I’m saying-”                               

Sungwoon holds up a hand to stop Seongwoo, which is a good thing he’ll very much take the opportunity to save himself any further embarrassment, “Okay. I get it. And to answer your question it depends? You can have emotionally connected sex when drunk and you can have sex that means nothing when you’re sober.”

Seongwoo huffs, “You’re supposed to be on my side. Us against Minhyun? Remember.” 

“Hey,” Minhyun hits Seongwoo with a pillow, “He’s _my_ partner.” 

“Which means he’s the only other person on this planet who knows how insufferably stupid you are underneath that whole calm and rational police detective persona you have got going on,” Seongwoo tells him, managing to duck out of the way of Minhyun’s second swipe. He rearranges the pillows behind his back, achieving the dual purpose of making himself comfortable and preventing Minhyun from retrieving his impromptu missiles should hostilities resume. 

“Do I want to know why you’re asking me about drunk sex?” Sungwoon asks them before they can get too caught up in an argument, sitting in the armchair that’s basically his at this point. 

“No reason-“Seongwoo protests. 

“Because Seongwoo hooked up with Daniel when they were both drunk,” Minhyun says at the same time. Traitor. 

“Oh, that definitely counts,” Sungwoon says with a nod of his head. 

Minhyun nods along as well, like Sungwoon’s opinion means anything, “See, it’s settled. Listen to the cops, Seongwoo.” 

“Sungwoon’s met him like twice,” Seongwoo points out, “I’d hardly consider you an expert. No offence.” 

“I only had to meet him once,” Sungwoon says. Seongwoo waits for him to elaborate but he never does. 

“Honestly, this is getting ridiculous. I mean I don’t understand why you’re attracted to the toddler in a giant’s body but you’ve never been shy about going after someone you like before,” Minhyun shakes his head, like he’s in any position to judge when it comes to going after what you want. 

Seongwoo glares at him because there’s a very obvious reason right now thank you very much but he can’t exactly spill Daniel’s secret in front of Sungwoon. 

“Can we maybe not compare Daniel to a toddler when we’re talking about sex,” Seongwoo says instead with a little frown, “Please.” 

“I’m just saying,” Minhyun says with an innocent expression, “I like Daniel a lot but he is the least sexual person I’ve ever come across. Ever.” 

Minhyun has obviously never seen Daniel in the studio then, “Just because you’re not attracted to him doesn’t mean you need to infantilise him,” Seongwoo protests. 

He gets the comparison that Minhyun is trying to make and he obviously means no harm (anyone can see Minhyun has a huge soft spot for Daniel). Something in him bristles though, on Daniel’s behalf or maybe his own. He can’t quite put his finger on it. 

Or maybe he’s just taking his frustrations out on Minhyun. 

Minhyun doesn’t seem to take offence thankfully, and instead asks, “Do you remember when Daniel went to the zoo and bought that lion plushie?” 

Seongwoo very much does but he’s not sure what’s so weird about that.  
  
Sungwoon seems to be on the same page as Seongwoo except he actually asks Minhyun, “What’s so weird about that? They’re not just for kids,”  
  
“No they’re not, but I got Snapchat pictures of that thing for a month,” Minhyun says, which oh yeah Seongwoo knows what he means, “with updates about what his ‘son’ was doing.”  
  
“A month? I still get them.” Seongwoo points out, even though that’s not exactly doing anything to refute Minhyun’s point. 

“That’s because you reply to him with pictures of ‘your own children’, you encourage him.” Minhyun says with a roll of his eyes (one day his eyes will get stuck at the back of his head and Seongwoo will laugh and put pictures all over the Internet). 

“Your children?” Sungwoon asks Seongwoo slowly. He’s leaning forward in the armchair, and Seongwoo swears he saw the aborted instinctive movement of reaching for his police notepad. 

“Random household objects,” Minhyun informs Sungwoon like he’s above it all. Like he doesn’t regularly suggest to Seongwoo that he use an empty wine bottle or an old pair of sneakers on his next ‘child exchange’ with Daniel. 

“I have enough love in my heart for many children, animate or inanimate,” Seongwoo tells him as seriously as he can manage.

No one ever disputed Daniel was weird – he was really fucking weird – but weren’t they all. 

“Not the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen happen in this apartment,” Sungwoon says after a brief consideration. Then because he’s an actual angel he continues, “plus this is coming from the man who dated a guy in the academy who thought he was a Pokemon,” he says to Minhyun calmly.

Now this is a story that Seongwoo has never heard before, how could Sungwoon have possibly kept something so embarrassing about Minhyun to himself? It’s not like there’s much of Minhyun’s academy days that he wasn’t privy to, minus that period in his life he’d rather not dwell on, thank you very much. Still, even after all this time, it hurts a little to think Minhyun would have the heart to pursue a romantic venture when Seongwoo wasn’t there to tease mercilessly about it. 

“I did not,” Minhyun says haughtily, straightening his posture before conceding, “It was Digimon.” 

Sungwoon pulls a face, “I’m not sure that makes it better.”

“I’d argue it actually makes it worse,” Seongwoo can’t help adding because he’s never going to let this go, “Digimon is way lamer.” 

“He didn’t _really_ think he was a Digimon,” Minhyun says, though Seongwoo’s probably not imagining the flush creeping up his neck. He’s like 70% sure it’s real. 

“You forget our bedrooms shared a wall Minhyun,” Sungwoon says judgmentally. It’s not often Sungwoon turns on Minhyun like this but when it does Seongwoo always ends up with years’ worth of teasing material, “I could hear you guys having sex, and dude liked to roleplay as a Digimon.”

“Oh my god,” Seongwoo laughs so hard he bangs his knee on the coffee table and doesn’t even care. Minhyun will never be allowed to live this down.

“Shut up okay, Daniel probably _laughs_ in bed,” Minhyun says pointing at Seongwoo.

Seongwoo blinks, “That is in no way equivalent to pretending to be a fucking Digimon. Seriously Minhyun, what the fuck?” 

“Plus, I thought you said you’ve never thought about Daniel in a sexual way,” Sungwoon says with a smile. That’s a good point, Seongwoo likes that point. 

“I haven’t,” Minhyun retorts, unfortunately having regained most of his composure, “But it’s a good bet, Daniel is always laughing, he probably laughs when he _cries_ ,” 

“Can Daniel actually cry?” Seongwoo says curiously, now that he thinks about it sure he’s seen Daniel sad once or twice, and scared out of his wits more time than he can count (why Daniel insists on watching horror movie’s he’ll never know) but he doesn’t think he’s ever seen him cry. 

“Most humans are physically capable of crying,” Sungwoon points out like the smart ass he is. 

“I mean, if you locked him in a room with a swarm of bees and a large spider I think he’d eventually cry, probably?” Minhyun says looking like he’s very seriously considering it. 

“Don’t even think about it,” Seongwoo glares at Minhyun even though he knows Minhyun would never actually do that. 

“I wasn’t _going_ to torture the poor boy because you can’t get your feelings straight, I was just answering your question,” Minhyun says as if that should be obvious (it was). 

“Well, as enlightening as this conversation has been,” Sungwoon says swooping in to save the day before it gets too weird for what feels like the eighth time this evening, “I did actually come here for business purposes”. 

He gives Minhyun all of a second to blink and catch up before he gently reminds him “That car-jacking thief who ended up in the river? Yeah, I got a new lead on...”

That’s as much as Seongwoo gets to hear before Minhyun slips his jacket on and the pair are off on what is sure to be an exciting and thrill-laden adventure in the seedy backstreets of the city.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Seongwoo, would you happen to know anything about this odd guy who showed up in my 10 am class this morning?” Woojin asks Seongwoo one afternoon whilst Seongwoo is lounging around in the back office doing absolutely nothing productive. 

If Daniel is allowed to take naps in the practice rooms and Jisung is allowed to curate his Instagram feed by taking moody pictures from the tiny rooftop terrace, then Seongwoo can slack off every now and then. 

“Why would I know anything about your weirdo clients?” Seongwoo asks him in a bored voice. 

“Well for one thing he can in and did the whole warm-up routine in a bright orange tutu, then changed into a pink one for the actual class,” Woojin says, sounding like he still can’t believe it happened. 

“From the stories you and Daniel tell that’s not even the fifth weirdest thing to happen in your class this month,” Seongwoo points out. Woojin has a way of attracting some odd clients, maybe it’s because he’s so wild himself, “Who cares if the man wants to wear tutus?” 

“I don’t, like you said not the weirdest dude,” Woojin says with a look like he thinks that should be obvious, “but he genuinely looked like he wanted to die of embarrassment, so just a wild guess it wasn’t out of love of tutus,” 

Seongwoo shrugs, “Still doesn’t have anything to do with _me_ ,” he dramatically points at his own chest for effect. 

“I saw this guy talking to you and Daniel a couple of weeks ago, then he started coming round and doing weird things,” Woojin says dryly, “It’s not a hard conclusion to jump to.” 

“Jumping to conclusions is as bad as jumping of cliffs,” Seongwoo tells Woojin solemnly. Not one of his better quips but he’s saved from total embarrassment by the familiar laughter he can hear over his shoulder, announcing Daniel’s presence. 

“I’m just saying he was never this weird, then he talked to you two and then he got batshit. So given the way you two like to prank people…” Woojin trails off as Daniel comes and sits on Seongwoo’s desk. 

“You can’t talk,” Daniel tells him cheerfully, legs brushing against Seongwoo’s as he swings them, “Just last week you locked Seongwoo in one of the dance studios for three hours, remember?” 

“He needed a nap,” Woojin says haughtily. 

“Hey, we said we wouldn’t mention that,” Seongwoo tells Daniel with a playful grin, grabbing his thighs to stop the swinging of his legs.

“Oops, I forgot,” Daniel smiles at him brightly, telling him that no he very much didn’t forget. 

“Gross,” Woojin mutters under his breath. 

“Anyway,” Seongwoo says loudly, “Did the two of you come here to bother me or did you actually want something?” 

“Other than to see your handsome face?” Daniel asks with a laugh, leaning his face towards him. 

Seongwoo reaches out and pushes his face away with one hand, “Don’t be gross,” he chides. Daniel laughs.

Woojin pulls a face, “Both of you stop being gross.” 

Apparently gross is the only word in his vocabulary now.

Daniel turns to Woojin with a thousand-watt smile as he hops off the desk and races off to him. The look of horror on Woojin’s face is enough to have Seongwoo hiding a laugh. 

“I don’t know why I put up with this, I should have accepted that job at Chungha’s studio,” Woojin says with a straight face. His words are so dry that Seongwoo would almost believe him if he hadn’t heard Woojin talking about how much he adored his job. 

“You wouldn’t leave us, you love us too much,” Daniel tells him, still bouncing on the balls of his feet.

How Woojin manages to stay poker faced in the face of Daniel being ridiculous Seongwoo will never know, he doesn’t think he’s biased when he says it’s a pretty impossible task. Woojin does though, “Try me.” 

“But Woojin, we were going to give you a raise and everything,” Daniel tells him with a little pout. 

“Do you think I’m that cheap?” Woojin asks, corners of his lips twitching up, just slightly. 

“Yes,” Seongwoo answers on Daniel’s behalf. 

“Maybe I am,” Woojin concedes. 

Seongwoo is mostly in charge of the accounts so he _knows_ there’s been no discussion of raises for anyone, though there was the discussion of nice little holiday bonuses. That doesn’t stop Daniel from bouncing off to find Jisung and confirm that ‘raise’.                                                 

“Did you just manipulate Daniel into giving you a raise by implying you’re going to quit?” Seongwoo asks once Daniel is out of the room. 

“Yep,” Woojin says, looking very pleased with himself. 

“That’s not the first time you’ve done that, is it?” Seongwoo asks suspiciously. Come to think of it Woojin’s hours had shifted a few weeks ago after he’d been complaining about them for an eternity. 

“No,” Woojin shakes his head before he rushes to add, “Not that I do it all the time, I wouldn’t take advantage of Daniel like that.” 

Seongwoo snorts, “Maybe I should give it a shot.”

Woojin laughs, “You’d never be able to pull it off,” 

“Why not?” Seongwoo asks, slightly offended at the implication that his acting skills aren’t up to Woojin’s. 

“Because Daniel would give you the puppy eyes and maybe cling to you for all of fifteen minutes before you caved,” Woojin points out like he’s thought about it for a considerable length of time. 

He might have a point. Seongwoo’s not going to tell him that though, “Or maybe I’m just a mature adult who asks his boss for a raise instead of manipulating him.”

Daniel probably would give Woojin a raise if he just asked for one, but maybe Woojin knows that and is just getting some fun out of the situation.

Woojin looks at him for a second before he starts to laugh, “A mature adult? Do you even know what mature means?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Logically Seongwoo has always known that Daniel is an extremely physical person. He laughs with his whole body, clings to people like an oversized puppy and slings an arm across the shoulder of whoever happens to be sitting next to him without any thought. 

He didn’t realise exactly how touchy feely Daniel was though until he watches him with Jaehwan. 

Watches the way Daniel has to hold himself back, often times reaching out towards Jaehwan before remembering he can’t touch, notices the way Daniel physically has to clench his fists to hold back the urge. Initially whenever the two of them are together Daniel chooses the spot furthest away from Jaehwan and it would be funny if it wasn’t kind of sad. 

Thankfully as they spend time together things seem to ease, though they’re never _easy,_ and by the time Minhyun’s birthday rolls around they seem to have reached a compromise. To be able to sit next to each other without risk of Daniel accidentally touching Jaehwan, they’ve worked out how to be friends without touching (although once or twice Seongwoo has caught Daniel wearing gloves around the house - just to be sure). 

For Minhyun’s birthday they go out to drink. There’s the five of them who know, but Sungwoon is also invited because arguably there’s no one Minhyun’s closer to.

Then somehow when Minhyun comes around to pick Seongwoo and Daniel up from the gym he invites Woojin along and that’s how the seven of them find themselves crammed into a booth at the local pub.

“You know, it’s kind of boring for a big birthday, a pub,” Jaehwan comments cheerfully from where he’s sandwiched in between Minhyun and Jisung. 

“Last year Minhyun didn’t even tell anyone it was his birthday,” Sungwoon tells Jaehwan easily, “The only reason I knew was because I managed to get a look at his application into the police academy.” 

“I knew because I remember back in the days when Minhyun wasn’t too cool for birthdays,” Seongwoo says with a dramatic clutch as his chest. 

“Minhyun was never too cool for anything,” Daniel says with a bright smile. That doesn’t even make sense, but Daniel rarely does. 

“It’s Minhyun’s birthday so you should all be nice to him,” Minhyun says with what could almost be classed as a pout.

“It’s Minhyun’s birthday so he’s the center of attention,” Jisung says with a bright smile. Minhyun groans, knowing he’s never going to get out of this one. 

“It’s Minhyun’s birthday so first round’s on him?” Seongwoo suggests, only because he knows he’s safely out of the range of Minhyun’s reach. 

Minhyun narrows his eyes at him ready to respond but Daniel, bless his soul, speaks up, “It’s okay, first round’s on me.” 

“That’s a dangerous offer,” Jisung reminds him with a pointed look Seongwoo doesn’t really understand. 

“It’s okay, it’s like my present for Minhyun’s birthday because I don’t have any idea what to get him,” Daniel says cheerily, pushing Seongwoo who is sitting on the edge of the booth out of the way so he can climb out. 

“You don’t have to get me anything,” Minhyun says. For most people it’d probably be something they say just to be polite but Minhyun means it, he doesn’t really put much emphasis on birthdays. 

“Don’t be silly, it’s your birthday,” Daniel says with a bright smile, like that settles the matter. Then without consulting Seongwoo in the slightest he grabs his wrist and drags him off to the bar to get drinks with him.

Seongwoo does so because he doesn’t want to make a scene (and he’s pretty weak for Daniel despite himself), ignoring Minhyun’s pointed look when he gets back. 

“Are you even old enough to be drinking?” Jaehwan asks Woojin conversationally after a few drinks, “Because if you aren’t you’re gonna make Minhyun arrest you on his _birthday_.” 

“He’s like twenty or something,” Daniel answers for Woojin who is currently gulping down a mouthful of beer, and only just starting to open up in the presence of people he doesn’t know particularly well. 

“Twenty two,” Seongwoo corrects him as Daniel lays his head on Seongwoo’s shoulder with a sigh.

“Whatever, old enough to drink,” Daniel says waving his hands in the air dangerously as he tends to do when he’s tipsy.

“Ahh Jaehwan, that’s Seongwoo’s drink,” Minhyun’s voice comes from the other side of the table, startling Seongwoo. 

“Oh, sorry,” Jaehwan shrugs, looking like he’s going to drink it anyway.

“You can’t just take someone else’s drink?” Sungwoon says, sounding offended on Seongwoo’s behalf.

“I’ve drunk from it already, its no big deal,” Jaehwan says. Seongwoo doesn’t know if the lack of social etiquette comes from drinking or just Jaehwan in general. 

“It’s fine, I’ll get another drink,” Seongwoo says with a shake of his head not wanting to start drama. 

“I don’t have rabies,” Jaehwan says with a snort. Rabies is not what Seongwoo is worried about.

“Seongwoo doesn’t share drinks,” Minhyun says, giving Seongwoo a worried look out the side of his eye. Seongwoo just shakes his head, it’s fine, Jaehwan didn’t know. 

“Really?” Daniel asks looking at him confused, “Pretty sure we’ve shared drinks before.”  
  
Seongwoo shrugs uncomfortably. What Daniel doesn’t know is that the first time he’d accidentally drank from Seongwoo’s water bottle at the gym he’d spent the next two days in a paranoid sense of heightened awareness. 

What Daniel doesn’t know is that Seongwoo had been to embarrassed and proud to do anything but take the bottle back when Daniel had smiled sheepishly and said, “Oops, sorry that’s your bottle. You don’t mind do you?” 

What Daniel doesn’t know is that Seongwoo had very much minded, he’d just liked Daniel more. 

His hands start to shake under the table as he realizes the near miss he just had. 

Thankfully Minhyun saves him whilst embarrassing him at the same time, “Yeah well when you’ve swapped spit other ways drinks aren’t really an issue.”  
  
“I’m going to get another drink,” Seongwoo announces loudly needing to get away just for a second. He ignores the catcalls that follow him and hopes they’ll be onto another topic by the time he comes back. 

It only takes another drink before Daniel’s dragging Woojin off to the make-shift dance floor that has gathered around the live band that’s performing. The rest of them watch and laugh, for the most part, “They’re good,” Jaehwan says approvingly a few minutes in. 

“The band or Woojin and Daniel?” Sungwoon asks from where he’s laid his head down on the table. 

“The band, their guitarist is good and the lead vocal has pretty good control,” Jaehwan says with a knowing nod. Minhyun just snorts a laugh into his drink (cola of some sort because Minhyun had said he didn’t want to spend his birthday blacked out). 

Sungwoon hums in acknowledgement before he says “Yeah but he’s a bit pitchy.”

Jaehwan’s eyes light up at that and before Seongwoo can blink Jaehwan has honest to god climbed over the table so that he can sit next to Sungwoon and discuss what Seongwoo thinks is aspects of musical theory. Seongwoo suppresses an amused chuckle as the conversation goes way over his head, and excuses himself to use the facilities, although he’s pretty sure only Minhyun’s even noticed him getting up, his eyes automatically scanning the room every so often.

He comes back from the bathroom to find Woojin and Daniel have returned and Daniel has crammed himself into the booth next to Jaehwan, despite the fact the other side only has two people sitting on it. 

It concerns Seongwoo, just slightly, but he doesn’t say anything (for fear of it coming out sounding petty or jealous) and sits next to Woojin on the other side. He feels like this is about to go really badly.

It doesn’t take long for the universe to prove him right. Seongwoo can see it, see the way that the alcohol dulls Daniel’s senses. Just a little, he’s not about to do something stupid. He is about to do something potentially disastrous though. He’s not the only one that thinks that judging from the nervous look Jaehwan wears every time Daniel waves his arms around. 

They can’t say anything, not in front of Sungwoon and Woojin, and Daniel is blocking Jaehwan’s exit from the booth, so Seongwoo hopes that Daniel decides he needs to go to the bathroom or something.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t and finally when Daniel starts to tip sideways, his head way too close to Jaehwan’s neck for comfort, Seongwoo decides he has to do something.

“Daniel,” He calls out, reaching across the table to grab Daniel’s hands, “Hey.” 

Daniel straightens up to Jaehwan’s obvious relief and smiles at him, “Hi,” he says, swinging their hands back and forth on the table slightly.

“Come here, okay?” Seongwoo says, using their hands to gesture sideways. Jaehwan slides further into Sungwoon’s side (thankfully Sungwoon is too drunk to notice anything odd about this whole situation) as Daniel sways before getting out of the booth and coming around to sit beside Seongwoo. 

He doesn’t even question it, just gets straight up into Seongwoo’s side. He’s not sure if that means that Daniel realised what he was in danger of doing or was just happy to follow instructions when drunk. It’s probably the latter. 

Jaehwan gives Seongwoo a relieved little smile still looking kind of shaken. Everyone else at the table makes ridiculous cat calls though, which Seongwoo would respond to but instead Karma gets the best of Jisung who starts choking on his beer because of the ridiculous noises he was making drawing everyone’s attention to him. 

For the rest of the evening Daniel remains tucked into Seongwoo’s side, very content to play with their still entwined hands and giggle at everything 

He’s not really that different from sober Daniel honestly. 

Still Seongwoo can’t even concentrate on the little thrill he gets when Daniel’s thumb rubs against the pulse point on his wrist and lingers there, or the way Daniel muffles his giggles at one of Jisung’s tragic jokes by nestling in the crook of his neck because he’s so caught up on what almost just happened. 

He honestly feels like he was a minute away from Jaehwan dropping dead in front of him.

Not something any of them would have been able to deal with. On any front.

 

* * *

 

 

They don’t stick around for much longer after the almost touching incident, everyone having responsibilities to get back to the next day.

“Someone should make sure Daniel gets home safely,” Jisung says as the seven of them stand around on the footpath outside the pub. 

“Seongwoo is the soberest of us all,” Minhyun suggests with a grin. 

Seongwoo doesn’t bother pointing out Minhyun is the only one that didn’t drink, there’s no point especially since he would have volunteered anyway.

Seongwoo complains about it but everyone there can see that he doesn’t really mind. Not when Daniel latches onto his neck and starts babbling about how pretty the stars are and laughing to himself. Seongwoo just smiles. 

“Do you need a hand?” Sungwoon asks him. Ever when he’s not quite sober enough to stand up without assistance Sungwoon still offers to help. 

“It’s fine, you live in the opposite direction,” Seongwoo waves him off. 

“I hope you’re sober enough to remember where you live,” Seongwoo tells Daniel as they begin their trek away from the bar, he’s been there before of course but he’s not sure how to get there from the bar. 

Daniel giggles again, apparently at that stage of drunk where he’s bordering on catatonic, just laughing too himself and observing everything around him with wide eyes, “I’m going to take that as a no,” Seongwoo sighs. 

“It’s okay, I can show you,” Jaehwan says walking up behind him. Seongwoo doesn’t startle but it’s a near thing. 

“Do you mind?” Seongwoo asks, because he doesn’t want to be a bother but drunk Daniel is a handful.

“Oh, I’m staying with Daniel at the moment,” Jaehwan tells him cheerfully as he swings his arms at his side, “So honestly it’d be weird to trail behind you, sorry for intruding on your alone time.” He doesn’t sound very sorry (and it’s hardly alone time with Daniel in this state). 

“Oh,” Seongwoo says simply. Trying to process the living together thing, Daniel had never mentioned that before. 

“Yeah,” Jaehwan nods before he explains without really giving any more information, “I can’t go back to my place for reasons to do with being a zombie, so Daniel’s letting me stay with him. Says because he’s the reason I’m in this situation it’s the least he can do.” 

“The reason you’re in this situation,” Seongwoo repeats incredulously, looking down at Daniel who is not paying any attention to them at all (thankfully he can still mostly walk on his own - he’s so fucking big there’s no way Seongwoo would have been able to carry him), “Does he mean alive?” 

“Yeah, you know how Daniel is,” Jaehwan says with a sigh that Seongwoo relates to more than he’d like. 

“How does that … work?” Seongwoo asks, if Minhyun could kill him with just the slightest brush of bare skin he’s not sure he’d be able to keep rooming with him. Not without feeling anxious at every second of the day. 

“Pretty well? Daniel’s usually really careful and it’s not like you need to touch your roommate ever,” Jaehwan says. It’s true you don’t need to touch anyone really but Daniel is such a tactile person Seongwoo doesn’t know how he _remembers_ constantly. 

“I suppose so,” Seongwoo says. It’s not like he needs any proof Daniel cares about Jaehwan, he has the biggest piece of proof he needed before he even met Jaehwan. He’s still keeping a list to torture himself. 

Daniel of course chooses that moment, that slightly weighted and awkward moment, to trip over his own feet almost bringing himself and Seongwoo to the ground (instead Seongwoo manages to catch their weight on a light-pole).

“Oops,” Daniel says, laughing again and sounding entirely unapologetic, “That was fun,” he adds before his attention is caught by the ‘stars’ once again (Seongwoo doesn’t see the point in pointing out to Daniel that they can’t actually see a single star right now). 

“I’d help you,” Jaehwan says with a cheeky grin, taking way too much amusement out of the situation considering how close to _dying_ he’d just come, “But I would hate for you to have had to put yourself through the ordeal of cuddling Daniel back there - you clearly hated it - only for me to die now.” 

Then he cackles.

“You know Jaehwan, something tells me even if you could touch him you wouldn’t be helping me right now,” Seongwoo tells him. It’s meant to be funny, and Jaehwan does laugh again, but he’s not lying. 

“Well, you’ll never know will you,” Jaehwan says before running ahead to open the door to the apartment building. That at least Seongwoo is thankful for, because he’s not sure he’d have been able to open any doors with Daniel clinging onto him the way he is. 

Seongwoo manages to coax Daniel into drinking a tall glass of water, and strip out of his so-tight they might have as well be painted on jeans before depositing him in bed (it takes the most work to convince Daniel to let him go - he pouts the entire time). He probably won’t even be that hungover tomorrow because Daniel is unfair like that. 

Jaehwan is sitting in the living room, waiting for Seongwoo as he creeps out of the bedroom, “I, just, thank you,” Jaehwan tells him sincerely as soon as he spots him, “For stopping him touching me.” 

“I wasn’t going to let you die,” Seongwoo tells him equally as sincerely. Seongwoo doesn’t want to see Jaehwan die and Daniel never would have forgiven himself. That’s not what he tells Jaehwan, instead he jokes, “It would have been hard to explain if you’d just dropped dead right there. Right in front of two police officers,” 

Jaehwan chuckles, though it’s really more awkward than his genuine psycho laugh, “Yeah it probably would have ruined Minhyun’s birthday just a little bit if I died.”

Seongwoo waits for the other shoe to drop and sure enough a few seconds later there it is. The hysterical laughter, “I almost died. Oh my god I almost _died_ ,” Jaehwan says bordering on panicked now. 

“I mean you probably wouldn’t have died,” Seongwoo tells him at a loss for what to say in this situation, “Someone probably would have told him off and then Sungwoon and Woojin would have thought we were all certifiable. Jury is out if that’s better than death or not.” 

Seongwoo doesn’t know if what he’s saying is helping at this point, he feels like his mouth is running away from him but it’s not exactly like there’s a manual for these kinds of circumstances now is there? 

He can feel the tendrils of a headache coming on, and he’s not sure how much of it is alcohol-related, and how much is Jaehwan, if he’s being completely honest. He mechanically pours himself a glass of water, because he might as well follow his own advice, when luckily Jaehman breaks into an enormous yawn, signaling the end of this altogether bizarre conversation. 

It’s not that long a walk back to his place, but he finds himself shivering in the humid summer night, missing the warmth of ungainly limbs draped over his frame.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally written as a oneshot and finished August 24 just in time for Ong’s Bday but my beta offered to edit it and it REALLY needed it. She had this half finished by the beginning of September but has been super busy at Uni so basically I’ve spent a month trying to decide whether to split it into two or keep it as a oneshot? But I’m splitting it into two because I want to get something of it out before I’m MIA for a few weeks (1 more chapter of J11either Friday or Monday depending on when I get it finished and then I’m gone into the night xD)
> 
> I am way way more nervous than I thought I’d be publishing this? Maybe because it’s the hardest I worked on a fic in a long time but also something I really struggled with?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still basically on indefinite hiatus but because I love Emma a lot I wanted to get something out for Ongniel week and this _has _been 95% finished since August last year and vaguely fits the theme of superpowers? I'm pretty sure Emma's the only one who remembered this fic existed/or wanted an ending to it but it'd be nice to say I finished at least _one_ fic in this fandom so here we are. __
> 
>  
> 
> __  
> _Speaking of unlike the first chapter edited by the gorgeous, wonderful S, this chapter has only been looked over by me EXCEPT for one scene that Emma and Colette extensively workshopped and kinda.... partially wrote for me (bless you both ♡)_  
> 

Luckily Seongwoo has the day after Minhyun’s birthday off. Lucky not only because work after drinking is never fun, but also because it hits him an hour after he gets out of bed.  
  
He’s sitting on the couch, bowl of cereal in his lap watching some drama that Jisung had recommended to him last week when he realises.  
  
Daniel had raised Jaehwan from the dead. Jaehwan had been dead, not on this planet. No longer breathing, no longer functioning a few weeks ago.  
  
Daniel touched someone, touched a dead body, and restored brain function. Restored function to his whole body. A second touch, as they’d come so close to last night, just a touch would have stopped all that function permanently. So many systems of Jaehwan’s body shut off for good.  
  
It makes no sense, it’s completely illogical and yet Seongwoo has seen Daniel do it. Jaehwan is living breathing proof that Daniel can do it.  
      
Seongwoo tries to deal with it, he does, but he can feel his brain spiralling dangerously. Spiralling in the way it’s done so rarely but catastrophically when it has. He needs to talk to someone but he’s not sure he has the capability to leave the house right now.  
  
Minhyun and Sungwoon are at work and he can’t talk to Daniel about this. Which leaves him one person, one person he prays will answer the phone.  
  
It almost rings out, Seongwoo’s heart rate picking up before finally, finally the call connects  
  
“Not all of us were lucky enough to get the day off Ong Seongwoo,” Jisung says with a cheerful sense of warning to his voice “So this better be important.”  
  
“Jisung,” Seongwoo says, voice feeling scratchy, “Daniel can raise the dead.”  
  
“Yes, he can you’ve known this for a while Seongwoo,” Jisung tells him patiently but with a faint sense of annoyance hiding underneath.  
  
Seongwoo has known but he hadn’t realised. He’s only realising now exactly how ridiculous this whole situation is.  
  
“Jaehwan was dead and now he’s alive, what the fuck Jisung, how?” He says, well aware his voice sounds maybe slightly hysterical at the end there. He’s fine though, it’s fine.  
  
“Ahh,” Jisung says, somehow managing to make that single syllable sound reassuring and understanding, “Okay, are you at home?”  
  
“Yes?” Seongwoo answers hesitantly because he’s not sure what that’s got to do with anything.  
  
“Alright, hang tight I’ll be over in a few minutes okay?” Jisung says, the sound of rustling papers behind him.  
  
“You have work,” Seongwoo points out, not wanting to inconvenience Jisung, he’s not this weak. He shouldn’t be this weak.  
  
“Daniel can cover for me hangover or not, since I cover for him when he ducks out without notice every other week,” Jisung says dismissively. Seongwoo cracks a smile, imagining Jisung strong-arming Daniel into covering for him.  
  
“Okay,” Seongwoo agrees.  
  
“Good, don’t do anything stupid,” Jisung tells him before hanging up.  
  
Seongwoo puzzles over that for a few minutes, what Jisung could possibly mean by it. He’s not planning to do anything stupid, he’s not sure he could actually do much. Not right now. Not with the way his brain is tripping over itself trying to process something that is so fantastically illogical that it should not make sense by any means.  
  
He’s been agonising for weeks over the fact Daniel cares about Jaehwan enough to bring him back that he hadn’t really stopped to think about the fact it was fucking death that Jaehwan had been brought back from.  
  
He’s so caught up in his thoughts he doesn’t hear the doorbell ring, doesn’t even notice the sound of the door opening until he feels the couch dip as Jisung sits next to him.  
  
“How did you get in?” Seongwoo asks him with a frown. As far as he’s aware only Minhyun and Sungwoon know the code to the door, Daniel might have seen it over his shoulder once or twice but he’s sure he never would have actually remembered it.  
  
“Though the door,” Jisung points out dryly, “You’re really more shaken up over this than I thought,” he says, reaching out to touch Seongwoo’s forehead with the back of his hand for show.  
  
Seongwoo swats him away, “I mean how did you know the code?”  
  
“Well you weren’t answering the door so I called Minhyun and he told me,” Jisung tells him matter-of-factly. Seongwoo mutters an apology but Jisung waves it away, “That’s not important right now.”  
  
“No, I think that’s important, I think the fact Minhyun is apparently giving our sacred door code out to anyone who requests it is very important,” Seongwoo says trying to delay Jisung’s inevitable concern. Of course he’d expected it when he called Jisung but really he’d only wanted someone to talk this over with, he didn’t expect Jisung to actually come over.  
  
Honesty is always ten times harder face to face.  
  
“Stop trying to distract me,” Jisung scolds him lightly, “And talk.”  
  
“I am talking, that’s what I’m good at,” Seongwoo tells him not really thinking about the words that come out. He cringes.  
  
“You know, I was 12 when Daniel first told me he could ‘make dead people alive again’, “ Jisung tells Seongwoo, apparently having realised Seongwoo isn’t about to start talking, “I didn’t believe him of course but he was only seven and well you know what Daniel is like.”  
  
Seongwoo does know what Daniel is like, but he’s more intrigued by the fact Daniel resurrected someone when he was seven. How would that have been for a seven year old, let alone one who was undoubtedly as curious and wide-eyed as Daniel would have had to be as a child.  
  
He knows Jisung wouldn’t tell him if he asked though so he doesn’t bother.  
  
“But you believed him eventually?” Seongwoo asks.  
  
“Yes, when I was fifteen,” Jisung says shortly, offering no more information than that. That’s okay, Seongwoo’s always thought that Jisung has more first hand experience with Daniel’s gift than he likes to say. His reaction when Daniel had told Jaehwan he’d only permanently raised someone once before had confirmed Seongwoo’s theory  
  
“You saw first hand,” Seongwoo comments quietly.  
  
“I did,” Jisung says with a far away look on his face, “And I was so freaked out about it I ignored Daniel for weeks. He was 10 and he, risked a lot for me and I didn’t speak to him.” Jisung says it matter of factly, like it’s something he regrets but has come to terms with a long time ago.  
  
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Seongwoo says unable to wrap his head around it, “I mean I knew he could do it, but I never thought about it.”  
  
“It’s just occurring to you how outlandish it all sounds,” Jisung says with more understanding than Seongwoo deserves, “It doesn’t make any sense. But it is true and it’s the reality that Daniel has to live with.”  
  
“I know,” Seongwoo says biting his lip, a nervous habit he was sure he’d ditched years ago, “I’m not. I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m so…unsettled by it all.”  
  
“Probably because things that are unnatural unsettle us all,” Jisung tells him wisely, “But you know don’t take it out on Daniel. Don’t avoid him.”  
  
“Don’t make your mistake?” Seongwoo doesn’t mean for the question to come out sounding like he’s mocking Jisung but it does.  
  
Jisung grimaces, just slightly, but doesn’t acknowledge what Seongwoo said in any other way, “This doesn’t change anything. Nothing’s changed.”  
  
Nothing’s changed but Seongwoo very much feels like it changes something.  
  
“Daniel never asked for this,” Jisung reminds him,  
  
“But is sure comes in handy for reincarnating your dead ex, right?” Seongwoo asks. His tone is light, the joke he’s going for thankfully, but Jisung still looks unimpressed.  
  
“Daniel didn’t ask for this and he carries the burden of it every fucking day, so the least you can do is not freak out,” Jisung has the disappointed mother face down even better than Minhyun; if the two of them ever decided team up they’d be an unstoppable force of guilt.  
  
Seongwoo doesn’t even know how bringing the dead back could be a burden, though he supposes knowing you could bring anyone who died back and restraining yourself from doing so would be difficult, especially for someone who has a heart the size of Daniel’s.  
  
In fact it’s probably a struggle for him everyday, especially when he visits the morgue with Minhyun. Again something Seongwoo should have considered earlier, but hadn’t. Fuck.  
  
Something of his train of thought must show on his face because Jisung nods his head in approval, “There we go.”  
  
“I, don’t know how to wrap my head around it. Daniel can touch Jaehwan and he dies. Jaehwan was dead,” Seongwoo mutters, the crux of the matter. He’s quite literally friends with a dead man walking.  
  
“It’s weird, but eventually you get used to it. You forget that their time should be up,” Jisung tells him with the sad smile again, “You take it for granted. Of course count yourself lucky you never saw Jaehwan’s body.”  
  
Seongwoo makes a questioning noise because Jisung explains, “Imagine knowing what he looks like when he’s lifeless, soul gone from his body, and then seeing him everyday. Imagine trying to reconcile those two images,” Jisung explains gently, “Imagine knowing they’re alive but still seeing their dead body when you close your eyes.”  
  
“Oh,” Seongwoo says. Daniel really does have a lot to deal with (Minhyun too in this case).  
  
“Yeah. Go easy on him.” Jisung basically orders him.  
  
“Of course I will, it’s not his fault. This doesn’t change anything about who Daniel is,” Seongwoo tells Jisung strongly, in fact it makes him a stronger person than Seongwoo has ever given him credit for (He knows Daniel is strong of course but this is a whole new level), “He’s still one of the best people I know. It’s just, it’s confronting.”  
  
Jisung’s smile in proud this time, Seongwoo doesn’t know how to deal with it, “When are you two going to get off your asses and actually get together?” Jisung asks him.  
  
“No Comment.”  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
It’s not that Seongwoo and Jaehwan were awkward before by any stretch of the imagination but something about their near miss with drunk Daniel seems to have changed something for Jaehwan.  
  
That’s the only explanation for why he’s currently following Seongwoo around as he prepares to shut the back offices of the gym down for the night (the actual gym stays open till 11pm but Seongwoo closes up the office at 5pm every night).  
  
“You’re dressed awfully nicely,” Jaehwan says teasingly as Seongwoo makes sure all the computers are turned off.  
  
Seongwoo glances down at himself before realising how stupid that looks. Obviously he’s wearing the same thing he put on after having a shower fifteen minutes ago, “I always dress nicely Jaehwan.”  
  
“Not for work at the gym,” Jaehwan points out, situating himself at the desk that Jisung has claimed as his own (even though none of them actually have assigned desks).  
  
“Well that’s because I’m leaving the gym and going to dinner,” Seongwoo tells him absently cleaning up the mess that Daniel has left behind on the desk he was using this afternoon (why he even needs cat shaped erasers Seongwoo won’t pretend to understand).  
  
“Going out to dinner huh?” Jaehwan says. There’s something strange in his voice but Seongwoo is running late as it is and doesn’t really have time to examine it.  
  
“Yeah, something like that,” Seongwoo confirms taking a quick glance around the office and deciding it will do (since the mess will just return tomorrow anyway).  
  
“Well, have fun then,” Jaehwan says hesitantly as Seongwoo shoos him out of the room and locks the office door.  
  
“Always do, I’m the definition of fun,” Seongwoo nods, waving to Daniel behind the front desk before booking it out the door.  
  
He can see through the windows Jaehwan muttering something to Daniel before he remembers he was supposed to meet Jihoon in five minutes and he’s technically ten minutes away and the very least.  
  
He ends up being ten minutes late.  
  
(Seongwoo feels like he’s always running late these days when he’s always prided himself on his ability to be on time).  
  
Jihoon just grins at him in a way that means nothing good when Seongwoo takes his seat opposite him with apologies.  
  
“You know,” he says, still grinning, “I had a senior that once told me that being late is a way of saying that you think your time is more valuable than mine.”  
  
“That senior sounds like an idiot,” Seongwoo tells him dismissively, running a hand through his hair.  
  
“I’ll tell Minhyun you said that,” Jihoon says with a little smile.  
  
“I tell him to his face everyday,” Seongwoo shrugs. Minhyun probably wouldn’t be impressed he was calling him an idiot behind his back to Jihoon of all people but it’s not like he could do anything about it.  
  
“I’m sure you do,” Jihoon says before launching into his patented brand of small talk whilst they order their meals.  
  
Seongwoo can see in the way he’s fidgeting that there’s something that he wants to say and it’s barely five minutes into their meal he blurts out.  
  
“So I have this friend,”  
  
Seongwoo waits for him to finish but Jihoon doesn’t say anything further, so eventually he says “Congratulations, it only took you, what two decades to find one?”  
  
“No,” Jihoon says with that adorably frustrated look he wears a lot. It makes Seongwoo laugh, and it’s so easy to draw out of Jihoon - one of the reasons he was always one of Seongwoo’s favourite targets, “I have this friend who mentioned that he visits your gym.”  
  
Seongwoo shakes his head, “Jihoon this is the worst small talk I’ve heard in my life, I thought I taught you better than that.”  
  
Jihoon gives him a long suffering look, “I’ve only met your Daniel once and that was enough to make me pretty sure that’s not true”  
  
“Fair enough,” Seongwoo concedes with a nod of his head, “But putting yourself on the same level as Daniel still really sad.”  
  
Jihoon pulls an annoyed face at him, “Anyway as I was saying, my friend had the strangest story. Apparently two of the staff at the gym are hazing him.”  
  
Seongwoo raises his eyebrows in shock and it’s not entirely put on. He knows what Jihoon is talking about of course but has no idea why Daehwi would mention it to Jihoon, not when he’s apparently trying to keep Daniel’s ‘psychic secret’.  
  
“Your friend is being hazed? At our gym? Sounds unlikely,” Seongwoo says eventually, not his best deflection he knows.  
  
“Yeah, I caught him doing something I really can’t explain the other day, and he said he was completing tasks for some guys at the gym that sounds suspiciously like you,” Jihoon says with a knowing smile.  
  
“Are you sure your friend isn’t just certifiable and using the best excuse he can think of,” Seongwoo points out, Daehwi is a little odd after all - he did assume Daniel was psychic, “And don’t you think hazing is a bit harsh of a word?”  
  
“If it was just an excuse how would he know how to describe you?” Jihoon asks.  
  
“He actually does go to my gym but the rest is a lie?” Seongwoo is grasping at straws here, he’s having a bit of a slow day it’s allowed, “Honestly if I was going to prank someone I’d be way more clever than that.”  
  
Jihoon shoots him an unimpressed look, “It sounds exactly like that prank you pulled on Guanlin during your academy days? When you convinced him that he needed to pass some tests in order to join a secret study group or something? I don’t know he was never very clear on the details.”  
  
He has Seongwoo there.  
  
“Okay, so maybe Daehwi asked Daniel for a favour, and maybe I wanted to make sure his intentions for Daniel are pure,” Seongwoo says trying to explain the situation without giving away Daniel’s secret (Although - if he did tell Jihoon he’d presumably just roll his eyes and think Seongwoo was joking), “I’d hardly call it hazing.”  
  
“It sounds like something a cliche American frat would do,” Jihoon points out primly.  
  
“There’s no alcohol involved so not even close,” Seongwoo shoots right back.  
  
“Well,” Jihoon says eventually, “If you and your Daniel are ever looking for more ideas can I offer a suggestion?”  
  
Seongwoo smiles, “You’ve got this innocent little face you know but you’re actually the most devious of the lot.”  
  
Jihoon gives him a bright smile, tilting his head with his hands on his cheek. Seongwoo waits. Sure enough Jihoon barely manages to hold the aegyo for all of five seconds before his nose crinkles in disgust.  
  
Seongwoo laughs so hard at him that the waiter glares at them.  
  
“I can’t believe you made me do that,” Jihoon grumbles.  
  
“I didn’t make you do anything,” Seongwoo says triumphantly, which makes it even funnier, “You just played yourself.”  
  
Jihoon rolls his eyes again.  
  
“Anyway,” Seongwoo says, getting back on his favourite topic, “About that suggestions?”  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
When Seongwoo gets back to the apartment after dropping Jihoon home (apparently he still didn’t have his license - just like Daniel - and had taken the train in) he was expecting the house to be dark and quiet.  
  
Minhyun had an early shift tomorrow and on nights like that he was usually in bed before nine.  
  
He’s not wrong, the house is both dark and quiet but as he’s creeping through the living room trying not to wake Minhyun, when a voice speaks up and startles the shit out of him “Seongwoo.”  
  
“Minhyun,” Seongwoo says leaning against the wall for support, “What the fuck?”  
  
Minhyun murmurs something, his voice so quiet that Seongwoo can’t make out the words.  
  
“Minhyun, you know I can’t hear you,” Seongwoo sighs, cocking his head in Minhyun’s direction, because Minhyun is usually better about his volume.  
  
“I said, did you have a nice night?” Minhyun repeats, voice barely louder. Seongwoo is tired and not in the mood for this mysterious bullshit, and hushed whispers he can’t hear.  
  
“I did thank you for asking, but why the fuck are you trying to scare me into a heart attack?” Seongwoo reaches up to turn the light on in the room (wondering if Minhyun is sitting in the dark just to scare him - and wracking his brains to figure out if there’s some sort of prank he pulled that Minhyun is paying him back for).  
  
As the light floods the room he’s expecting to find Minhyun sitting on the couch. He’s not expecting Daniel to be curled up sleeping on his lap, drowning in an oversized jumper despite the weather. Maybe he can forgive Minhyun for whispering then, though even yelling isn’t likely to wake Daniel.  
  
“You know, you’re turning into his favourite pillow,” Seongwoo says in amusement, trying to hide his confusion at the whole scene, “You should probably ween him off that habit before he crushes you to death or something.”  
  
The appraising look Minhyun shoots him in return makes him uncomfortable, “Seriously?” Minhyun asks like he’s judging Seongwoo.  
  
Which is weird because Seongwoo is sure he’s not done anything to earn that look this time.  
  
“What? Last I heard Daniel’s plans for tonight were an Underwatch marathon or something,” Seongwoo says. It was all Daniel had been chatting about at work all day, even though Seongwoo hardly even understood what a tank was, let alone anything beyond that, “Just wondering when that changed to you being his pillow for the night.”  
  
He’s not jealous or anything, he got over that a long time ago, he’s just confused.  
  
Minhyun doesn’t answer his question, instead he says, “I heard you had a hot date?”  
  
“What?” Seongwoo asks loud enough that Daniel mumbles something in his sleep, “What the fuck?” He repeats because he honestly has no idea what’s happening in this conversation. He’s think it was some sort of prank but Minhyun is usually much more sophisticated in his pranks  
  
“Daniel told me that Jaehwan told him you went out on a date?” Minhyun repeats. That look from earlier makes a lot more sense now.  
  
Seongwoo can’t help the laughter that escapes him at the mere idea of going on a date with Jihoon. It’s probably not the reaction Minhyun was looking for judging by the way his glare intensifies. Minhyun’s disappointment is always something of a weighty burden to bear so Seongwoo rushes to clarify, “I told Jaehwan I was going out to dinner. Which I did. With Jihoon,” he emphasises.  
  
He’d rather date Minhyun than Jihoon if push came to shove.  
  
Minhyun looks at him, eyes widened for a second before he starts to laugh so hard he doubles over, almost elbowing Daniel in the head. Somehow Daniel keeps sleeping through it all.  
  
“I have never been more confused in my life,” Seongwoo tells the room at large, because Minhyun is too busy laughing to hear and Daniel is dead to the world.  
  
“Seriously, the two of you,” Minhyun mutters wiping at his eyes with his sleeve when he’s finished laughing.  
  
“The two of who? Me and Jihoon?” Seongwoo frowns, “Because no. No way. Not ever!”  
  
“No, not that,” Minhyun says waving him away. He doesn’t explain any further but the way he shakes his head and looks down at Daniel says enough that Seongwoo thinks maybe he knows what’s going on.  
  
Or maybe it’s just wishful (if slightly cruel) thinking to assume Daniel was jealous. Jealousy is not fun but he’s been living in a lowered state of jealousy for the past few weeks, it’s nice to know he’s not the only one.  
  
“Well, I’m going to leave you two to your teen angst, I’ve got a proper adult job in the morning,” Minhyun says, pushing Daniel gently off of him so he can get up.  
  
“Are you just going to leave him there?” Seongwoo asks Minhyun.  
  
“He’s slept there plenty of times before, he should be fine. More than fine without you to share it with,” Minhyun says dismissively before wandering through to his bedroom.  
  
Of course because he’s Minhyun he comes back almost immediately with a stack of blankets for Daniel that he lays on the table before retiring for the night.  
  
Seongwoo stands watching Daniel sleep for a few minutes, trying to decide whether to wake him and send him home or just leave him. Before he’s decided though Daniel starts to wake up.  
  
“Has anyone told you that you don’t know how to whisper?”  Daniel groans, his words only intelligible because Seongwoo has experience in Daniel’s sleepy state.  
  
“Neither do you, and you don’t have a reason,” Seongwoo tells him mildly, with a smile.  
  
“Did you just get home?” Daniel asks, blinking up at him sleepily, now more awake enough to take in his surrounding. Seongwoo tries not to grin at how stupidly domestic the scene makes him feel because he is stronger than that. Instead he sits on the coffee table in front of Daniel.  
  
“Yeah, dinner went a bit later than I planned,” Seongwoo says, testing his theory.  
  
Sure enough Daniel frowns, mouth downturning just slightly (which is such a ridiculously out of place expression on his face that Seongwoo wants to wipe it off immediately).  
  
“Oh,” Daniel says rushing to add on, “I hope you had a good time?” Though his tone doesn’t match his words.  
  
“I did,” Seongwoo says before putting Daniel out of his misery, “And I think you’ll be interested to know our little joke with Daehwi has spread so far that Jihoon asked me about it when we were out.”  
  
In a split second Daniel’s face breaks into his trademark grin (Seongwoo wants to believe it’s because he was out with Jihoon not on a date but Daniel might really just be pleased about their prank on Daehwi), “Really? You went out with Jihoon?”  
  
“Yeah,” Seongwoo says unable to help the matching smile spreading across his own face.  
  
The two of them sit in silence for a few seconds, just smiling at each other before Seongwoo realises how silly they must look and shakes his head, “Hey, you can’t sleep on the couch all night.”  
  
Daniel blinks at him for a first second before he shakes his head, “I’ve slept here before and I don’t wanna go home,” he adds before pouting. It’s both really cute and really out of place on Daniel’s face.  
  
Seongwoo pauses for just a second before he makes a decision, “Come on you can bunk with me.”  
  
“Really?” Daniel asks, smiling that huge smile again.  
  
“My bed’s plenty big enough, and I really don’t want to be sued when this hell couch finally fucks your back up for good one day,” Seongwoo says. His words are empty nonsense but Daniel is either too tired to notice or too content to question them. Instead he obediently let’s Seongwoo pull him from the couch and lead him to his room.  
  
By the time Seongwoo manages to get changed and make sure the house is locked up for the night Daniel has curled up under his blankets, only just coherent enough to insist that Seongwoo climbs over him to sleep against the wall.  
  
Seongwoo does so, and within seconds Daniel is seemingly out, head pillowed against his shoulder.  
  
It’s not nice. Daniel has the world’s worst sleeping habits as well documented as they are amongst their groups of friends and he puts off heat like nobody’s business. Seongwoo’s got a shoulder in his back and Daniel’s heel is digging into his calf in a way that’s not exactly comfortable.  
  
He is entirely content though, bubbling warmth settling in his stomach, pleasantly hazy. It’s the closest that Seongwoo has felt to Daniel since this whole mess began, and as Daniel tangles their legs together still mostly asleep Seongwoo thinks he could get used to it.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
It’s not till about a week after his birthday that Minhyun manages to get the time off work to go down and visit with his family, leaving Seongwoo alone in the house.  
  
Which is good, it’s fine he could do with a couple of days without Minhyun’s nagging it’s not a problem. Except he soon comes to realise this is the longest that Minhyun has ever been away from the apartment and he’s not used to it. Not used to having no one to whinge to or joke at. Not used to having to make all the stupid adult decisions by himself. Not used to knowing he’s the only one in the apartment.  
  
Maybe he’s being melodramatic, it’s only a week that Minhyun is gone for and it’s not like they’ll be able to live together forever. Of course he’s sure any of his friends, Daniel especially, would be more than happy to spend the night or keep him company but for that Seongwoo would have to ask and there’s no way he’s doing that.  
  
Not at least until he comes home from work one evening to find the lights on in the apartment and the soft sound of the television news.  
  
He thinks it’s Minhyun at first because of course he does, before he remembers Minhyun had sent him a text message from his family home not half an hour ago.  
  
“You are not Minhyun,” he tells Sungwoon when he walks into the room.  
  
“Your observation skills are excellent,” Sungwoon says not looking up from his book, “really your talents were wasted dropping out of the academy.”  
  
 “Not that it’s a bad thing, you can cook better than Minhyun at the very least,” Seongwoo observes, dropping his bag in the  corner of the room just because Minhyun isn’t there to nag him to keep it in his room.  
  
“And I don’t accidentally leave my roommates possessions in the coroner’s office before taking off for a week,” Sungwoon says with a shake of his head before handing a small bottle over to Seongwoo.  
  
“Thank you,” Seongwoo says sincerely, he probably won’t need them but he’d rather have them on hand, “I don’t even know how he managed to leave them in the coroner’s office.”  
  
“The coroner is like head over heels in love with Minhyun,” Sungwoon says with a little shrug, “Although I mean so is half the station.”  
  
“Minhyun probably drugs the coffee pot,” Seongwoo mutters, although he’s yet to meet a person that wasn’t halfway in love with Minhyun at some point in their lives.  
  
Sungwoon chuckles, “perhaps, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the cornoner pick pocketed as an excuse to return it, not knowing that Minhyun was going away.”  
  
“Because nothing is hotter to a detective than committing petty crime in order to catch his attention,” Seongwoo rolls his eyes. People have done way weirder things to attract Minhyun’s attention before (and apparently as he’s recently learned some of them - like pretending to be a Digimon - worked).  
  
“I’m just speculating,’ Sungwoon shrugs though the look on his face says there’s more to it than that, “Anyway I just wanted to bring that over so you didn’t have to wait until Minhyun was back. Just in case,” the concerned frown on his face doesn’t escape Seongwoo’s notice and once again he’s thankful for how understanding his friends are.  
  
“You’re honestly a life saver,” Seongwoo tells him as he walks into the kitchen to check the fridge “Are you staying for dinner?”  
  
“Do you mean am I going to stay and cook you dinner?” Sungwoon calls back sounding amused. It’s true, Seongwoo’s mostly been having take out since Minhyun’s been away.  
  
“Well if you’re offering,” Seongwoo says, turning back to smile smile charmingly.  
  
“I’m not,” Sungwoon says deadpan, “I have to go home and feed my cat.”  
  
“If you’re going to lie be a bit more convincing,” Seongwoo crosses his arms over his chest, “you don’t have a cat.” Seongwoo knows this for a fact.  
  
“I do now,” Sungwoon says holding his phone out in front of him, probably to show Seongwoo pictures as is the universal habit of all cat owners, “See.”  
  
The picture on the screen shows Sungwoon cradling a cat on his shoulder pulling a frankly ridiculous face. Seongwoo can’t even focus on mocking him though because the cat in the picture looks familiar, “Your cat looks exactly like Daniel’s cat.”  
  
Seongwoo isn’t really much of a cat person if he’s honest, but he’s looked at enough picture of Daniel with his cats (they make up about 80% of his Instagram content after all) that he he knows what they look like.    
  
“That’s because she was Daniel’s cat,” Sungwoon says, turning the phone around so he can smile at the picture, “But then he was in the morgue with Minhyun a few weeks ago insisting he needed someone to take his cat ASAP.”  
  
“He was just giving away his cat to anyone that would take it?” Seongwoo asks skeptically. Daniel loves those cats, any cats, more than anything on this planet. He can’t imagine him ever giving them away let alone to a potential stranger.  
  
“Yeah, I thought it was strange too?” Sungwoon says with a concerned frown, “But he said it was a matter of life and death, he looked really desperate too. ”  
  
Seongwoo has to assume that means that Daniel’s cat had died. The cat had died and Daniel had resurrected her but couldn’t keep her anymore out of fear of accidentally killing her. On top of everything else he had been dealing with recently.  No wonder he had been out of sorts.  
  
“Huh, well you better look after her then,” Seongwoo playfully scolds Sungwoon, because of course Sungwoon is going to.  
  
The look Sungwoon gives him is more weighted that Seongwoo wants to think about, “Of course. You too.”  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Seongwoo may not like to talk about or show his feelings to the world, having his learned his lesson about unsolicited vulnerability a long time ago, but he’s not stupid.  
  
He knows that he’s essentially in love with Daniel. He’s also pretty sure that his affections are returned, if the way Daniel acts is anything to go by (Daniel doesn’t have a subtle bone in his body).  
  
He knows they were on the precipice of moving from friendship into something more a few months ago and he can pinpoint the exact moment they pulled back. Jaehwan’s resurrection shouldn’t really have impacted them in the slightest, but it did.  
  
It did and they both had things to work through in regards to it. It’s been months though and those things are resolved, on Seongwoo’s end at least, but they’re still stuck in this weird limbo. Where their interactions are comfortable as ever but there’s something more there.  
  
A held breath, a significant pause. They’re balanced on a precipice.  
  
Seongwoo doesn’t know how to take that step. How to put himself out there, not now. Not with the one indisputable fact changing everything, not with that one insignificant drunken conversation sitting in the back of his mind, whispering insecurities whenever Seongwoo resolves to do something.  
  
So he does nothing, he does nothing and circles Daniel warily, waiting for him to make the first move. Waiting for Daniel to put himself out there and maybe prove to Seongwoo he has nothing to worry about.  
  
Daniel doesn’t. Seongwoo catches Daniel watching him sometimes, something soft on his face. Daniel still doesn’t make a move, doesn’t even take a step forward.  
  
Daniel probably won’t, not if Seongwoo knows him as well as he thinks he does. Daniel won’t and Seongwoo’s brain won’t let him so here they are.  
  
Stuck and driving their friends crazy.  
  
Minhyun is the first to reach the end of his rope.  
  
Seongwoo expected that. He just didn’t expect that moment to be when Minhyun had dragged Seongwoo out grocery shopping with him - one of the few tasks he was adamant about them doing together.  
  
“You know your ass over tits in love with him,” he sighs as they stand in the car park, packing the groceries into the back of the car.  
  
“Who? The cashier?” Seongwoo asks, being deliberately obtuse.  
  
“No, Daniel,” Minhyun says not even bothering to play along or chide Seongwoo, “And it’s not really a stretch to say that he’s the same way. So why the fuck haven’t you done anything?”  
  
“Done anything?” Seongwoo echoes, waiting for Minhyun to explain more, not because he doesn’t understand but because he doesn’t know what to say in response.  
  
“You two were three seconds away from finally getting your act together, basically together in everything but words and then nothing. Except you’re still exactly the same just with more pining and whining that I have to put up with,” Minhyun says, dropping the box of cereal in his hands into the boot of the car with more force than is entirely necessary.  
  
“I don’t whine,” Seongwoo defends himself. Complains maybe, but only out of a desire to annoying Minhyun out of talking about it.  
  
“I didn’t say you did,” Minhyun says pointedly. Seongwoo doesn’t let himself dwell too much on those words, no matter how much they please him because that would give Minhyun satisfaction, “You just complain. And pine.”  
  
“Not a tree,” Seongwoo says mildly.  
  
Minhyun grunts in frustration, “Seriously, just get your head out your ass and ask him out. Nothing changed, put us all out of our misery.”  
  
“Well something did change, or did you forget the reincarnated ex,” Seongwoo says. He’s mostly joking, poking fun at how pathetic he’s been about this situation over the last few weeks, although that is a very significant thing that changed.  
  
Apparently Minhyun doesn’t get that or has realised Seongwoo is using the humour to deflect from the real issue, “You’re really hung up on this,”  
  
“It’s kind of a major life event,” Seongwoo defends, even if he was joking it’s not like he was being irrational when he was affected by it, “a big deal. Something significant. A notable occurrence.”  
  
“Yes, okay you read the thesaurus, I’m very impressed,” Minhyun says sounding the exact opposite of impressed, “The point is that’s not a good enough reason.”  
  
“Really? I think its a very good reason,” Seongwoo stays on the defensive even though it’s not actually the reason, “An ex coming back into the picture is always complicated, let alone like this.”  
  
“Look,” Minhyun says, turning and forcing Seongwoo to look him straight in the eye, “We both know that Daniel and Jaehwan have no romantic interest in each other anymore so what is this actually about?”  
  
Seongwoo pauses, knowing this is one of those decisions he needs to make. He can deflect with a joke or argue the point to distract Minhyun - the options that feel so much safer. Or he could be honest.  
  
“I,” Seongwoo says, looking around to make sure there’s no one around that can overhear them. Minhyun rolls his eyes at him which Seongwoo should probably take offence at.  
  
“He cares about Jaehwan enough to, you know,” Seongwoo says as Minhyun finally slams the boot shut finished with his cathartic unloading, “I think that’s reason enough to, hesitate.”  
  
Minhyun shoots Seongwoo a glare but doesn’t say anything as he returns the shopping trolley to the designated area, or as he climbs into the car leaving Seongwoo standing in the car park looking stupid.  
  
Seongwoo sighs but climbs into the drivers side, pulling out of the carpark. They’re half the way home when Minhyun finally speaks, “That’s not really fair to Daniel, is it.”  
  
Seongwoo can honestly say that he doesn’t understand what Minhyun means, what part of this could possible be unfair on Daniel. Maybe he can admit he’s been melodramatic about this whole situation, but never unfair to Daniel.  
  
“You’re guilting him about bring someone he cares about back from the dead, on top of everything else he has to worry about,” Minhyun says, looking at Seongwoo in a way that makes him feel like a huge disappointment even though he didn’t actually do anything wrong.  
  
“I’m not guilting him,” Seongwoo argues because that had never been his intention, he’s sure Daniel hadn’t even noticed that Seongwoo had been so caught up on it, “I just, it’s a hard thing to wrap your head around.”  
  
“You resent the fact he resurrected Jaehwan,” Minhyun states, like it’s a fact.  
  
“I don’t!” Seongwoo all but yells, hurt more than he thought he’d be by Minhyun’s words, “I like Jaehwan, I’m glad he’s alive and even if I did’t like him Daniel’s allowed to revive whoever the fuck he chooses.” It’s not Seongwoo’s weird illogical ability, it’s not his choice to make.  
  
“But…” Minhyun says, giving Seongwoo a look. Seongwoo feels like somehow he’s been tricked.  
  
“But, he told me once you know that if I died he wouldn’t reincarnate me,” Seongwoo admits, keeping his eyes fixed on the road so he can’t see Minhyun.  
  
“Seongwoo,” Minhyun says in that stupidly sympathetic voice of his, “Daniel doesn’t like reviving people for long periods of time, and he has his reason’s that aren’t mine to tell.”  
  
“Right,” Seongwoo says, Daniel doesn’t really talk to him about the whole revival thing. Seongwoo doesn’t know if that’s because he doesn’t trust Seongwoo with the information or if it’s something he doesn’t like to talk about period, that Minhyun only knows out of necessity.  
  
“But, he didn’t plan to bring Jaehwan back you know,” Minhyun says like it should be obvious. Seongwoo doesn’t know why it should be obvious though, it’s not like anyone’s mentioned anything about the circumstances of Jaehwan’s revival - being evasive whenever it’s brought up.  
  
“Right, he just accidentally touched a dead body in the morgue,” Seongwoo says sarcastically.  
  
“It’s not my story to tell,” Minhyun repeats again before he sighs, “But because I know it’s eating you up and I know Daniel will never tell you I’ll give you something.”  
  
“You’re so kind, truly,” Seongwoo tells him dryly, kind of feeling like this entire conversation has been an excuse just to get to this point.  
  
“You know Daniel was hungover right? You know what hungover just woken up Daniel is like,” Minhyun says pointedly, which is true. Seongwoo hadn’t even considered that once in his entire evaluation of the situation - even though hungover Daniel is slower than usual.  
  
“Okay,” Seongwoo says, urging Minhyun on.  
  
“Well he overheard the paramedic that brought Jaehwan… the body, Jaehwan’s body,” Minhyun says, stumbling over his words in uncertainty, “They were talking about how they had a John Doe they were sturggling to identify, and Daniel said that no one deserved to be unidentified in death. And then he touched him and realised he knew him.”  
  
“He didn’t mean to resurrect Jaehwan?” Seongwoo asks, feeling like that’s significant when it shouldn’t be. It shouldn’t make a difference but it does because he’s petty.  
  
“Nope, and by the time he got his head on straight it was too late,” Minhyun says simply. He doesn’t specify what it was too late for, but Seongwoo get’s the feeling that’s something Minhyun wouldn’t tell him if he asked.  
  
“Oh,” Seongwoo says. That makes sense he guesses. It’s different in his mind, choosing to reincarnate someone versus being unable to bring yourself to kill them. Maybe that makes him a selfish person for thinking so, but that’s how it is.  
  
“I know that after everything that happened this whole reincarnation thing is life changing and profoundly unsettling to you. I understand okay but the thing is, it wasn’t about you Seongwoo, and it wasn’t really about Jaehwan anymore than it was someone Daniel knew,” Minhyun tells him with a knowing look; like he can see exactly what Seongwoo was thinking.  
  
“Okay,” Seongwoo says, unsure what Minhyun is expecting him to say. Unsure what he can say in this situation, as his mind’s turning the information over. Things had been different, and he’s not sure that was just down to his jealousy (which he will never admit out loud to Minhyun - though surely he must know), Daniel had stuff he was dealing with as well.  
  
“So, now that you can stop stewing in your own stupidity and self absorption,” Minhyun says, which is slightly harsh, “How about you actually fix things.”  
  
“Self-absorbed is awfully rich coming from you,” Seongwoo shoots back without heat, just feeling the need to try and defend himself, “And nothing’s broken.”  
  
“You and Daniel aren’t functioning as you fucking should be, which means you need fixed,” Minhyun tells him as they pull into their parking lot.  
  
“Thanks for the advice,” Seongwoo says.  
  
“Seongwoo I’m only going to tell you this once and we’ll pretend this conversation never happened if you want.” Minhyun says, Seongwoo’s stomach sinks, he thinks he knows where this is going, “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but Daniel brings out the best in you. Daniel brings out my best friend of five years ago that I wasn’t sure I was ever going to see again - the happier and sillier version of you. I know your fear comes from a very valid place Seongwoo I was there, but don’t let it stop you. Neither of you deserve it.”  
  
“I didn’t know you thought so badly of me.” Seongwoo’s not sure whether or not to feel hurt at the thought Minhyun prefers a version of him that’s long dead. . Instead he parks the car and gets ready to book it, ready to escape this conversation and the things Minhyun is trying to make him examine.  
  
Before he can, Minhyun reaches out and grabs his wrist, “That’s not what I meant. I mean I want you to be as happy as you were five years ago, I don’t want you to be so afraid. I know you think you have valid reasons, and I’m not trying to discount your trauma. But everyone would be happier - you would be happier - if you just got the fuck over yourself and admitted the two of you have basically been dating for the last six months.”  
  
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Seongwoo tells him sarcastically, waiting for Minhyun to let him go.  
  
“I just think you’re still not allowing yourself to be happy. And you’re hurting Daniel in the process,” Minhyun tells him, before he let’s go and gets out of the car, leaving Seongwoo sitting alone with his thoughts.  
  
It’s not a fun place to be right now.  
  


* * *

  
  
Seongwoo mulls over Minhyun’s words for all of two days before he makes a decision.  
  
Of course making the decision is the easy part. Approaching Daniel though is hard.  
  
Daniel is one of his favourite people on the planet, his partner in crime, in pranks. He’s joy and happiness and being with him make Seongwoo happy. He’s easy affection and warmth.  
  
Daniel is not someone he goes to for heavy conversation - not that he doesn’t think Daniel has depth. Daniel does have depth, and an easy way of talking about his own shortcomings and insecurities that makes Seongwoo feel inadequate.  
  
Minhyun is right, there never really was a choice for Seongwoo to make - he loves Daniel whether he makes a move or not. He’s got nothing to gain from staying as they are, in this weird limbo.  
  
So he goes into work on Thursday morning, determined to do something about it that afternoon. Even if he spends the day in a state of nervous awareness, he feels good; lighter than he has in a while. And maybe it’s fate or maybe Seongwoo is projecting more than he realised but when the afternoon draws to a close, it’s Daniel that brings it up.  
  
“You look happy,” Daniel tells him with a bright smile, glancing over at where Seongwoo sits on his desk, waiting just a bit impatiently for him to finish putting together the schedule for studio practice times so they can finally leave together.  
  
Seongwoo raises an eyebrow inquiringly; he didn’t think he looked any different from usual, “I always look happy. In fact, just looking at me makes other people happy.”  
  
“No arguments here,” Daniel turns briefly to blind Seongwo with the full brightness of his megawatt smile before returning his attention to the schedule.  
  
“Well, my beauty has that effect on people,” Seongwoo shrugs, swinging his legs back and forth, a habit he’s sure he’s picked up from Daniel over the last few months, “It’s understandable you're powerless against it too.”  
  
“Not your looks, just you,” Daniel shrugs nonchalantly, as if admitting these things is second nature to him and not embarrassing to voice, pausing as he pretends to think, “though your looks aren’t bad either.”  
  
It’s a pretty run of the mill compliment, one Seongwoo’s heard countless times before, but coming from Daniel it’s...well it's more than just nice.  
  
“We haven’t been out in a while,” Daniel says, not meeting Seongwoo’s eye as he finally stands to pack his things, apparently finished while Seongwoo had been trying to wrap his head around the compliment. Or finished for the day at the least.  
  
“We just went out the other night,”  Seongwoo points out with a laugh, not sure how Daniel can forget it considering how much of a fool Minhyun had made of himself.  
  
“I mean just the two of us,” Daniel clarifies even though Seongwoo had been trying to give him an opening to back down, fiddling with his bag strap, picking at frayed fibres.  
  
“We’ve been busy,” Seongwoo says, willfully trying to sidestep the elephant in the room, keeping his tone light as if Daniel's probing questions escape him.  
  
“I miss it,” Daniel tells Seongwoo with such disarming honesty that Seongwoo almost does a double take. He was sure Daniel missed it, but he never expected him to address it so directly.  
  
Seongwoo gulps, ready to brush even this off but he finds that he can't, not when he feels the same way. And he does, if he allows himself to admit it, he really does. How can he not miss their little dates? The late night binge watching of dramas, sharing unhealthy food together and then waking up curled up together on the couch that was way too small for the two of them to spend the night on comfortably. But then just waking to the sight of Daniel’s sleep-mussed, sleepy smile warmed even his aching joints over.  
  
He wants everything to be like it used to be between them. The countless jokes, the loud laughs, the effortless flirting. No, not like before.  
  
He wants more.  
  
Seongwoo really looks at Daniel now, letting his eyes roam over the familiar face that's always been quicker to smile than frown. His traitorous heart stutters as he remembers being the main reason behind his smile and he wants so badly to be it again.  
  
“Me too,” he says, mustering the most earnest smile he has given Daniel in the last few weeks, finally managing to put his irrationally petty feelings aside for the moment.  
  
A heavy burden seemed to have lifted off Daniel’s shoulders, his shoulders slump forward with a quiet relief. As his lips stretch into a wary smile and he laughs nervously while ruffling his hair, Seongwoo realises Daniel must have been as concerned about the awkward distance as Seongwoo had been.  
  
"Why don't we do it then? Go out I mean,” Daniel says with an unfamiliar rush of confidence, “There’s a new restaurant opening down the block. I want to take you.”  
  
Seongwoo's heart skipped a beat at Daniel's nervous tone and suggestion. What are the odds, that just as Seongwoo wants to take the next step, Daniel beats him to the punch?  He bites his tongue, telling himself not to be too eager, to give Daniel an out just like he normally would.  
  
“Careful, Daniel, it sounds like you’re actually asking me out on a date,” he teases playfully, rearranging a perfectly neat stack of papers so that he can’t analyse ever minute shift in Daniel’s face, so he can’t make it awkward by staring.  
  
“And what if I am?” Daniel asks, with a confidence that sounds shaky at best, no matter how he tries to wear his bravado like a second skin.  
  
Seongwoo turns to look at Daniel, cocking an eyebrow in surprise. Daniel is smiling bashfully at him again, his hand lost somewhere in his hair. Blinking a few times, Daniel’s words take a few seconds to settle in his brain, and he swears his heart flips in his chest like one of the particularly sporty dancers on the team.    
  
He bites his lip trying to hide his smile and probably failing, “Well that depends. Are you?”  
  
Seongwoo pushes the stack of papers to the side, resting his chin on his knuckles.  He’s pretty sure his attempts at looking unaffected were for naught, sure his eyes were betraying how happy he felt.  
  
Daniel takes a deep breathe before he nods resolutely, squaring his shoulders, “Yes.”  
  
"Well, I'd be obligated to inform you, Kang Daniel-ssi, that I'm not an easy guy. I don't kiss on the first date,” Seongwoo doesn’t know what possess him to say it, emboldened by the fact that Daniel made the first move maybe. He’s glad he did though, because knowing that he’s the cause of the light flush dusting Daniel’s cheeks is delightful and he can't wait to do it again.  
  
“Well, if you think about it, we’ve kind of been dating for months without officially saying it?” Daniel retorts, even as he’s laughing at he’s own suggestion. It’s a silly thing but it doesn’t stop Seongwoo’s heart from beating faster.  
  
“You can’t retroactive date someone, Daniel,” he says with a roll of his eyes as he tells himself to stop thinking about kissing those lips Daniel keeps licking nervously.    
  
“But I mean,” Daniel purses his lips,  looking awfully shy for someone whose words are so confident, “what else would you call it?”  
  
Seongwoo tilts his head and looks at Daniel, pretending to actually think about it. “If we’re calling it dating then that means you’re actually the worst boyfriend ever.”  
  
“So I am your boyfriend then though?” he asks excitedly as a smile starts to spread from his lips until his whole body radiates happiness. And even if Seongwoo wants to continue the teasing, he can't help smiling along.  
  
“You want to be the worst boyfriend?”  
  
“I want to be _your_ boyfriend.”  It's ridiculous, really. Just the thought of it makes Seongwoo want to giggle out loud and he wonders when Daniel started to have that kind of power over him.  
  
“Hold on, I need a date first.” Seongwoo holds up a hand to stop Daniel, “you might actually be a terrible date,” he doubts that. “First I want to see if you’re even worth the title of being Ong Seongwoo's boyfriend."  
  
It's obvious that Seongwoo actually is just playing hard to get but Daniel plays along willingly, smiling wide enough for his cheeks to ache.  
  
“You can’t take me on a trial date and return me. I'm not an object,” he exclaims indignantly, though the humour was still evident in his eyes.  
  
“No?” Seongwoo questions, even though that’s kind of exactly what a date is.  
  
“No,” Daniel shakes his head firmly.  
  
“That’s a shame, I guess we won’t be going on a date,” Seongwoo sighs, theatrically, “I only purchase when there's a good return policy and a full warranty.”  
  
“Trial date this weekend then?” Daniel pouts and hurries to suggests as if Seongwoo would actually change his mind.  
  
Seongwoo pretends to think about it, even though they both know what he’s going to say, "Yeah, okay."  
  
“Okay,” Daniel smiles again, and even though Daniel smiles a lot it feels like it means something; the fact his grin is basically etched into his face because of Seongwoo makes him feel every cheesy thing love songs warble about and then some.  
  
Seongwoo’s lips stretch into a cheeky grin of their own, "Since I bought you, does it mean you’re mine?"  
  
Daniel splutters and his cheeks redden slightly; Seongwoo can't help chuckling at the cute image in front of him. He quickly takes a look at the time sighs, realizing he'd have up cut their flirting short since he promised Minhyun to be home in time to make dinner.    
  
"Well, I have to run, oh trial boyfriend of mine. See you tomorrow, Romeo,” Seongwoo waves lazily as Daniel is still spluttering, walking around him to get to the exit.  
  
“Tomorrow?” Daniel calls after him, looking confused.  
  
Seongwoo can’t help but laugh, “Yes, tomorrow. Here. For work. Our mutual work place.”  
  
“Oh, right,” Daniel says looking slightly abashed, “See you tomorrow, Seongwoo.”  
  
With one last smile shared between them, Seongwoo walks away. His steps feel lighter than ever and he might just break out into some good natured humming. Even though they hadn’t really planned anything for the date yet, he couldn't help being eager. Technically, it wasn't any different from what they usually did but this time, it would be an actual date.  
  
Seongwoo giggles into his hand, unable to ignore the giddiness he felt and the way his stomach seemed to flip excitedly. He coughs to  clear his throat and tries to school his features into something less lovesick, only to fail instantly, relapsing into a giddy, goofy smile. Today was a good day.

  
  


* * *

  
  
“Why is Sungwoon standing on the table dancing Touch My Body?” Seongwoo asks when he opens the front door of his apartment to be greeted with a sight he never, ever expected to see.  
  
No one answers him, instead Jisung and Minhyun - the other to occupants of the apartment - scream out, “Sistar,” basically simultaneously.  
  
“Okay,” Seongwoo says slowly, making sure he hasn’t gone crazy from happiness or something, “I’m going to pretend this is totally a normal occurrence then? That the three of you are quitting your jobs to start an idol group?”  
  
It’s not normal, Jisung and Sungwoon aren’t particularly in the habit of hanging out as far as Seongwoo is aware.  
  
“We’re playing charades,” Sungwoon says with a grin as he hops down from the table.  
  
Seongwoo blinks, wondering if they’re pranking him, “What are you? Middle aged parents in the 80s? You got together to hang out to play charades?”  
  
“Well no, but we finished gossiping about you so we decided to do the daggiest most embarrassing thing we could think of, just so you could come home and mock us,” Minhyun tells him sarcastically.  
  
“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Seongwoo shrugs sitting down on the couch and kicking his legs up on the coffee table, “By all means, continue, I don’t want to intrude.” He pulls his phone out and aims it at them though he has no real desire to record them. He’s got much more embarrassing material on Jisung and Minhyun than a game of charades - Sungwoon he he wouldn’t chance crossing.  
  
Despite his best intentions of just watching and laughing he manages to get dragged into the game and finds himself laughing harder than he has in a long time. In fact he’s not sure how much time has passed when they’re finally interupted.  
  
“Are we expecting anyone?” Minhyun asks when the doorbell rings, not taking his eyes off where Jisung is acting out … Seongwoo’s not actually sure, none of them are.  
  
“No,” Seongwoo shakes his head. They don’t really get visitors that aren’t Sungwoon, who is already accounted for, and Daniel who Seongwoo doesn’t expect to see until tomorrow.  
  
“Well, you better get it, just in case it’s someone important,” Minhyun basically orders him.  
  
“Why do I have to get it?” Seongwoo whines as Jisung starts to convulse on the floor.    
  
“I’m older,”  Minhyun tells him. Seongwoo grumbles under his breath but goes to answer the door as Sungwoon and Minhyun continue to yell out frankly ridiculous answers.  
  
Seongwoo opens the door glancing over his shoulder as he does so, “Seongwoo,” It’s Daniel looking at Seongwoo with comically wide eyes, “I killed someone,”  
  
“Dr Feel Good!” Sungwoon yells out.  
  
“Yes,” Jisung shrieks, dropping to his knees.  
  
“How the fuck do you know that?” Minhyun groans in frustration, sweeping a hand over his face.  
  
“Do you need help hiding the body?” Seongwoo asks Daniel distractedly, laughing at the way Sungwoon attempts to hug Jisung and pull him to his feet at the same time.  
   
“Seongwoo,” Daniel’s voice honest to god cracks. Seongwoo whips around to look at him. The look on Daniel’s face is so heartbreakingly unsure, the closest that he’s ever seen Daniel to crying. It’s at direct odds with the bright and hopeful smile Daniel had shot him when he’d left work and it makes Seongwoo’s heart ache for him in ways he’d never thought was possible.  
  
Clearly he’s not joking like Seongwoo thought he was, “Daniel,” Seongwoo says, reaching a out hand towards him, “What happened?”  
  
Daniel latches onto Seongwoo’s hand so hard it hurts but Seongwoo doesn’t complain, even as he registers that everyone else in the room has fallen silent.  
  
“Well, I am going to assume that we’re talking figuratively here, not literally” Sungwoon says in a voice that sounds oddly strained.  
  
“Yeah, you know how those two are,” Minhyun says completely calm. It’s like he isn’t at all surprised at Daniel’s suddenly appearing on their doorstep looking dishevelled and claiming to have killed someone, “Meanwhile I just remembered we have somewhere to be,”  
  
“Yes, that’s right,” Sungwoon says, neither of them even attempting to be subtle or believable right now, “So we should go.”  
  
“Alright, goodbye,” Seongwoo says, pulling Daniel into the apartment by their linked hands so the other three can leave. Daniel follows without any resistance, looking like he’s not hearing a word that anyone is saying.  
  
As Seongwoo waits for them to go he wonders what on earth Daniel could have done. Surely he hasn’t actually murdered a person or meant to hurt anyone but accidents can happen. He doesn’t think Daniel’s the type to be involved in an accident and just leave a scene though and they’d only parted ways two hours ago.  
  
If it were anyone else Seongwoo would assume it was a prank but Daniel isn’t nearly that good of an actor.  
  
Eventually after what feels like hours but is probably only minutes the apartment door shuts behind Minhyun and they’re alone. Despite the empty apartment Seongwoo still leads Daniel into his room for more privacy, directing Daniel to sit on the bed whilst he shuts the door.  
  
Daniel sits compliantly, staring as his lap as Seongwoo does so, not even looking up as Seongwoo sits next to him.  
  
“Daniel,” Seongwoo says eventually as gently as he can manage, “What happened?”  
  
“I killed someone,” Daniel repeats, clenching and unclenching his fists in his lap.  
  
“Are, are you sure they’re dead?” Seongwoo asks hesitantly. Perhaps Daniel is over dramatising an accident. He doesn’t know.  
  
“Positive,” Daniel says clenching his fists tightly, so tight Seongwoo is sure that his nails must be digging into his palms.  
  
If Daniel killed someone he doesn’t know why he didn’t just revive them, but he’s not going to outright ask him.  
  
“Hey, don’t hurt yourself,” Seongwoo chides, reaching forward to unclench Daniel’s fingers with his own hands, “I’m sure whatever happened you didn’t meant to kill someone.”  
  
“I didn’t mean to kill them but I knew I would. I knew someone would die and I did it anyway,” Daniel says, squeezing Seongwoo’s hands like he was squeezing his own before seeming to remember it’s Seongwoo he was hurting not himself.  
  
“Daniel, you’re scaring me. Tell me what happened,” Seongwoo urges him, wishing he could see Daniel’s face. Wishing he could help somehow. He can’t help if he doesn’t know and currently he’s thinking of hundreds of worst case scenarios.  
  
“You know, you know how I can revive people?” Daniel asks Seongwoo. Obviously Seongwoo knows so he just hums his affirmation, knowing Daniel is just stalling for time. Carefully choosing his words, measuring them where he’s usually so free and genuine with his thoughts, “It, it doesn’t come for free. There’s, a cost.”  
  
“Oh,” Seongwoo says quietly, thinking he knows where this is going, “Daniel.”  
  
“If, If I keep someone who was dead alive for more than a minute someone else pays with their life,” Daniel confesses, still not looking at Seongwoo. He’s crying though, Seongwoo can tell. Can hear it in his voice, but also feel the splash of tears on his hands where they’re still clutching onto Daniel’s in his lap, “I killed someone. I brought Jaehwan back to life by taking someone elses.”  
  
A week ago Seongwoo probably would have burned at the revelation, burned with ugly feelings of inadequacy and jealousy. Right now all he wants to do is pull Daniel into his arms and reassure him it’s not his fault. Reassure him that he knows Daniel would never hurt someone like that on purpose.  
  
Really he just never wants to see Daniel cry ever again.  
  
“Hey, you didn’t kill anyone,” Seongwoo tells him fiercely.  
  
Now that he thinks about it perhaps he should have guessed there was a price. So many things make sense now, things that Minhyun and Jisung have said that he thought was odd but brushed off. How uncertain Daniel had seemed after Jaehwan’s ‘return’, the heavy burden of guilt he seems to carry in relation to his powers.  
  
“It’s my fault he’s dead. If I hadn’t touched Jaehwan, if I hadn’t panicked when I revived him, if I’d just been able to bring myself to touch him before sixty seconds were up someone wouldn’t be dead,” Daniel says, looking up at Seongwoo now, looking so achingly miserable that Seongwoo can’t even begin to describe it.  
  
“Jaehwan would be dead,” Seongwoo points out.  
  
“But I wouldn’t have killed him. Who am I too decide that Jaehwan’s life is worth more than someone else’s life? Whoever died because of me probably had friends, a family, someone whose going to miss him. I took that from him,” Daniel says, starting to curl in on himself in misery.  
  
“Hey, come here,” Seongwoo insists, pulling Daniel away from his fetal position of misery and into a hug, “You didn’t mean to kill anyone.”  
  
“But I knew it would happen,” Daniel mutters miserably, curling himself into Seongwoo’s shoulder instead of in on himself now (for someone that’s so big Daniel sure is practiced at being able to make himself seem tiny).  
  
“The way Minhyun tells it, you made a mistake. You saw Jaehwan and you panicked and you didn’t mean for it to happen,” Seongwoo says. He’s not sure how he feels about this whole situation, doesn’t have time to process his own feelings about it.  
  
He does know that Daniel has one of the biggest hearts on this planet, knows that he would never hurt someone on purpose. Knows that the fact Daniel is beating himself up about this, even months later makes him a good person.  
  
“If you kill someone by accident that’s still a crime, you still go to jail for it,” Daniel mutters, words barely intelligible with the way his face is pressed entirely into Seongwoo’s shoulder.  
  
“Okay, we’ll go tell Sungwoon that you killed a man by bringing Jaehwan back from the dead by the power of touch alone and see if he arrests you,” Seongwoo says, cringing at how insensitive the words are but unable to find the right ones. He’s good at making Daniel smile, telling jokes and keeping the mood light. He’s never been able to find the words to offer comfort, not to someone as distraught as Daniel is right now, “I can tell you know he won’t, but he might refer you to a psychologist.”  
  
“Morally, I’m still responsible,” Daniel tells him. Seongwoo can’t argue there, not really.  
  
“Daniel, you can’t beat yourself up about this, you didn’t mean for it to happen but it did. It happened months ago and you’re sorry and it’s horrible that a man died but there’s nothing you can do about it. You’ve got to forgive yourself, please,” Seongwoo begs hating how much Daniel seems to be taking on from this situation. The guilt he’s letting himself drown in.  
  
“I, I don’t know I’ll ever forgive myself,” Daniel admits. That doesn’t surprise Seongwoo, not really, Daniel carries the world on his shoulders - thinks he’s responsible for so much, “But I think I have come to terms with the fact it happened. Somehow.”  
  
“Then what are you so upset for?” Seongwoo asks him gently, reaching out to wipe his tears away with his thumbs, “Hey?”  
  
“I just, I didn’t want you to hate me,” Daniel admits tucked into Seongwoo’s side, voice heartbreakingly small.  
  
“I could never hate you Kang Daniel,” Seongwoo tells him with absolute sincerity. He doesn’t know the right words to say to Daniel here, but he does know that’s 100% true.  
  
“I just, I was so happy this afternoon but then I got thinking you don’t really know about the terrible things I’ve done and you deserve to know that before, before you know,” Daniel says, trailing off shy where he’s never been before.  
  
“Daniel it doesn’t change anything,” Seongwoo says. He says it and he means it which surprises even himself, especially when he knows how dangerous his green eyed monster has been these last few months, “I’m so sorry you have to live with this burden, I wish I could help you, and I’m sorry you’re hurting,” He says, forcing the words out with a sincerity he doesn’t usually voice.  
  
Daniel’s told him his darkest secret, the least Seongwoo can give him is honesty, no matter how hard it is to get the words out.  
  
“It doesn’t?” Daniel asks, pulling back to look at him in amazement.  
  
It does. It changes things, it changes Seongwoo’s understanding of so many things. Of the circumstances of Jaehwan’s revival, of the way Daniel feels about his ability and the burden he carries. It changes the way Seongwoo thinks of the work Daniel does with Minhyun. Of that toxic voice in the back of his head.  
  
And sure maybe Seongwoo’s going to have another moment of realisation a few months down the track, maybe he’s not quite processed this entirely  
  
But Seongwoo’s always known about Daniel’s ability. Has known there must be a catch, somewhere deep down. Nothing like that ever comes for free after all.  
  
It doesn’t change Seongwoo’s feelings. Nothing could at this point.  
  
“Of course not,” Seongwoo tells Daniel, when his face starts to drop, when Seongwoo realises he’s been staring at him silently for a few moments, “You never asked for this Daniel. It’s not your fault.”  
  
“I don’t want it,” Daniel admits, looking down for a brief second before looking back up. Seongwoo knows that, has always known it.  
  
“I know, I’m sorry.” Seongwoo tells him, grabbing onto Daniel’s hands.  
  
“It doesn’t change how you think of me?” Daniel asks again, just for confirmation. In any other circumstances Seongwoo would think he was fishing for validation, but he knows that he’s just looking for reassurance that he doesn’t think he deserves.  
  
“Of course not. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re one of the kindest people I know. That you’ve got the worst sleeping habits known to man and you laugh in the most inappropriate situations. It doesn’t change the fact you love your cats more than people or that I’ve never met anyone who puts so much of themselves into everything they do,” Seongwoo tells him, taking great delight in the way a blush starts to spread across Daniel’s ears and down his neck. Then, because he’s already being vulnerable with his feelings - he might as well go the whole way he admits, “It doesn’t change the fact I love you.”  
  
Now it’s Seongwoo’s turn to look down, feeling embarrassed and raw. He knows, logically that Daniel at least likes him in return, but he still feels his stomach drops as he waits for Daniels’ reaction, heart on display, no humour or faux confidence to hide behind.  
  
After the confession that Daniel just offered though it’s the least Seongwoo can give him in return.  
  
“You love me?” Daniel asks, sounding amazed like he can’t believe it in the slightest.  
  
Seongwoo looks up to see a smile spreading across Daniel’s face, tears stains still painting his cheeks, “Now you’re just fishing for compliments,” Seongwoo teases him gently, just to see the way that Daniel giggles in response.    
  
“For what it’s worth, I love you too.” Daniel tells him, shy.  
  
“Well get in line,” Seongwoo says because he can’t help himself, the sincerity of the situation getting to him. Because his heart swells, the words aren’t any sort of surprise to him, not really but they still make him feel warm, giddy in a way that’s unfamiliar, uncontrollable.  
  
“I love you most,” Daniel tells him determinedly, not dissuaded or put off by Seongwoo’s words.  
  
Seongwoo smiles, “I don’t doubt that for a second.”  
  
There’s a lot for them to talk about still, there’s a lot of issues and guilt that Daniel has to work through and Seongwoo needs to get his ugly jealousy complex under control. But sitting here, on Seongwoo’s bed grinning at each other helplessly, Seongwoo thinks that together they can take it on.  
  
They can take on anything.  
  
  


* * *

 

**BONUS:**

 

“Seongwoo I am going to start charging your boyfriend rent,” Minhyun huffs as he lets himself into the apartment one evening.  
  
Seongwoo doesn’t even look up from where he’s sitting on the floor reading his book, back against the couch Daniel is laying sprawled across on his stomach.  
  
“Seongwoo, did you hear me?” Minhyun repeats a little louder as he comes into the room.  
  
“Yeah, you’re threatening to charge Daniel rent for the third time this week,” Seongwoo tells him in boredom. Daniel titters slightly, though seeing as he’s barely looked up from his laptop all afternoon Seongwoo can’t imagine he’s actually paying much attention.  
  
“Well, seeing as he practically lives here,” Minhyun says pointedly, putting his keys and bag away neatly, “The least he could do is keep his stuff clean.”  
  
“Sorry,” Daniel says sounding distracted and not in the least bit sorry.  
  
“He doesn’t practically live here,” Seongwoo argues, keeping his eyes on his book for effect even though he’s not actually reading anymore.  
  
“No he just straight up lives here,” Minhyun says dryly, still pottering around going who knows what.  
  
“I slept at home last night,” Daniel argues, reaching down (probably absent-mindedly as he’s in the habit of doing) to play with Seongwoo’s hair.  
  
“For the first time in a week,” Minhyun tells him. Daniel hums in agreement and doesn’t argue.  
  
Minhyun huffs as Seongwoo turns the page, loudly (nevermind the fact he’s going to have to go back at some point to actually read what was on that page).  
  
He manages to do that when Minhyun is in his bedroom getting changed, though Daniel does laugh at him.  
  
“Oh, by the way what have you two been doing to poor Daehwi?” Minhyun asks as he comes out of his room, looking at them disapprovingly.  
  
“Whose Daehwi?” Seongwoo asks. He thinks he’s pretty convincing, if it wasn’t for the way Daniel starts laughing behind him, “I don’t know a Daehwi?”  
  
“The corner’s assistant,” Minhyun explains as he sits, his tone of voice letting Seongwoo know that Minhyun doesn’t believe him.  
  
“He came up to me this afternoon and asked me if he’d proven himself worthy enough to Daniel yet?” Minhyun says looking sceptical. Seongwoo can see the way he’s struggling to keep a straight face though.  
  
“It wouldn’t be hard to prove yourself worthy to Daniel, his standards are so low,” Seongwoo says thoughtfully (It’s true really - Daniel’s too obliging and eager to please).  
  
“Hey,” Daniel whines, pulling at Seongwoo’s hair gently to show his disapproval “That’s why I’m dating you, then?” He adds. Seongwoo would bet money that it took him a while to think of that one.  
  
“Anyway, Daehwi really asked you,” Seongwoo asks Minhyun curiously, instead of deigning to answer Daniel, “What happened to discretion.”  
  
“Well he said because you always came in with me I must know your secret,” Minhyun says, bringing them to the real point of this being brought up, “So you told Daehwi?”  
  
“No, actually,” Seongwoo says looking up at Minhyun kind of excited he has the chance to share this story with someone who understands it’s significance, “Daehwi thinks Daniel is psychic. Psychic, can you believe.”  
  
“I thought you didn’t know a Daehwi,” Minhyun points out. Seongwoo shrugs, as if he’d meant to do that instead of just getting carried away.  
  
“Daehwi? I thought you said Daehyun,” Seongwoo says innocently. The snort Daniel lets out at that is disbelief more than laughter.  
  
Minhyun’s strategy is straight up ignoring him, “Is Psychic really any less believable than raising the dead?”  
  
“Point,” Daniel concedes to Minhyun on Seongwoo’s behalf, clambering off the couch so he’s now lying half across Seongwoo. He huffs but shifts slightly to accommodate him.  
  
“Disgusting,” Minhyun shakes his head, unable to hide the smile anymore.  
  
Seongwoo sticks his tongue out at Minhyun and tightens his arms around Daniel’s waist, “What did Daehwi want?”  
  
“Oh,” Minhyun says before he straight up starts laughing, “The psychic thing makes this make more sense but he wanted Daniel’s advice about his love life.”  
  
Seongwoo laughs so hard at that he bangs his head into Daniel’s shoulder, “Daniel? For love advice? Poor kid.”  
  
“Hey,” Daniel protests again, even though Seongwoo can feel that he’s also laughing, “Why are you being so mean to me.”  
  
“Sorry,” Seongwoo tells him, not feeling particularly sorry, Daniel’s an easy and amusing target, “But really, do you feel qualified for love advice?”  
  
“Well, no,” Daniel says with a shake of his head.  
  
“Read some online horoscopes,” Minhyun suggests ever so helpfully, “Tell him Mercury is in line with Saturn so he should take a chance on his feelings being requited,”  
  
“That’s not psychic that’s astrology,” Seongwoo dismissed Minhyun, because who doesn’t know that, “If you want to pretend to be psychic tell him you can see great happiness in his love life if only he jumps on one leg three times before talking to his crush.”  
  
“Hasn’t the poor boy suffered enough?” Minhyun asks him, even as he’s laughing himself.  
  
“Well maybe,” Seongwoo says thoughtfully, looking down at Daniel and feeling ridiculously overwhelmingly lucky, “But if he really likes this person then he won’t mind the suffering. It’ll be worth it.”  
  
(And maybe Minhyun throws a pillow at him and Daniel starts loudly fake gagging but Seongwoo has never said something he believes in more in his life). **  
  
**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this was supposed to have a sequel exploring Seongwoo's backstory that I hinted at here but the way I'm going I'm not sure it'll ever get written so hopefully this is a satisfying enough ending (and I wasn't super subtle so maybe you picked up on it xD).
> 
> Also I feel like I should probably make it explicit if it wasn't already the vague overview of the powers was stolen from pushing daisies but I've never actually watched the show so there are probably some differences in specifics :)


End file.
